Its Not Over
by Awfulwaffel
Summary: After the war, Hermione thinks that everything will finally be peaceful. Unfortunately, her world is turned upside down when she finds out that her identity is stolen and death eaters just don't give up so easily. Her parents are certainly not helping with her mother threatening to hex Lucius Malfoy and her father politicking with the Minister for Magic. Pureblood!Hermione
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Harry Potter**.

It was all too good to be true, Hermione should have known something would go wrong. Harry defeated Voldemort, Ron finally kissed her during the final battle, and she was able to remove the memory charm on her parents, who she found in only three weeks of searching. She never in all her experience with magic, trolls, dragons and soul splitting megalomaniacs expected such a reaction out of her mild mannered oral surgeon mother.

"Where's my wand!?" Helen Granger, forty seven, mother of one Hermione Granger, only child of Phillip and Tabitha Cole, and most importantly muggle demanded as soon as she opened her eyes. Hermione took a hurried step back and raised her own wand in alarm but her father was already on her, a confused look on his face as he studied her closely.

"Violet, give it a moment." Troy Granger, fifty years of age, equally muggle father of one Hermione Granger, only child of Michel and Poppy Granger easily disarmed the war heroin and flicked his wrist, shutting the door with an audible click.

"Dad?" Hermione gasped as he tucked her wand into his pocket nonchalantly and moved gracefully to stand beside her mother.

"Where is Severus?" Helen demanded, her normally soft brown eyes ablaze with fury as she turned to her husband with her hands on her hips.

Hermione gaped at her parents, who were having a silent conversation through pointed looks and furious nods of their heads as if she weren't in the room. After a moment she couldn't contain herself any longer and shouted. "How do you know Professor Snape?"

"He may be a half blood but he is the last of the Prince line." Troy replied imperiously with a raised brow, turning to look at his daughter with a grimace. "Could he have made you any more comely?"

"What?" Hermione gaped at her parents, never were they what one would call snobbish. Her mother was from Bristol and her father was from a small village called Yatton, both attending university on grants and scholarships.

"Oh, I'm going to give Lucius such a nasty case of boils, Cissi will be playing healer for weeks!" Helen snarled, grabbing at her curly hair in frustration. Hermione was lost as she stared at her parents as if they were complete strangers.

"Violet, I think we need to explain this to our daughter." Troy nodded to the gaping brunette beside them, his wife turned to look at her daughter with a scowl on her face before shoving Hermione roughly into a chair.

"A memory charm?" Helen demanded, looking over her daughter's features critically.

"Mum. Are you okay? Is this some sort of side effect of the counter spell? Did I mess up?" Hermione asked worriedly as she reached out and grasped her mother's hands. Helen snorted in disbelief as she stood up straight and threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

"My little love, I'm not angry with you...well no that's a lie, I am angry with you. Why did you erase our memories?" Helen said in a much calmer tone as she moved to sit beside her daughter, years of memories coming back to her. Gymnastic meets, vacations, and bed time stories, along with a year in Australia with no daughter at all.

"I had to keep you safe." Hermione said in a broken whisper as she gripped her mother's hand as if it were a life line. "Voldemort would have come for you."

"The Dark Lord?" Troy asked sharply, moving to stand directly in front of them stiffly. She could never remember her father looking so intimidating before as he glared down at her critically. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"How?" Hermione gasped as her father pulled one of the chairs across the floor to sit directly in front of her, flinching at the sound of it scraping across the floor.

"Hermione, what I'm about to tell you..." Troy started, sharing a look with his wife before turning back to his daughter with a look of pity and taking her hands in his own. "We are not who you think we are, darling."

"Who...?" Hermione whispered fearfully and tried to pull her hands away but her mother placed her hands over her father's and tightened their hold.

"I was born Antonio Shafiq, your mother Violet Fawley...you are Sienna Shafiq and we went into hiding when you were only days old." Troy said bluntly, his blue eyes shimmering with sincerity, contrasting greatly with the severe scowl on his face.

"No...I'm a muggleborn." Hermione shook her head in denial as she once again tried to take her hands away but her parents refused to let go.

"You are not!" Helen snapped harshly, her brown eyes narrowed dangerously. She turned to her husband and nodded head the wand sticking out of pocket. "Ant, remove the glamours! I can't take you seriously with that muggle's ridiculous face!"

Troy rolled his eyes dramatically before standing up and waving Hermione's wand in a complicated pattern. Hermione's eyes widened comically as his skin started to bubble and shift, her father was growing in front of her very eyes. Antonio Shafiq stood before her, looking greatly more intimidating then Troy Granger ever could. He stood at least 6'4 with wide shoulders, his once brown hair darkened to a raven black that stood out against his pale alabaster skin. Her breath caught in her throat as he blinked his brilliant obsidian eyes. He turned and did the same to her mother and Helen stood with a bright smile on her face.

Helen Granger could never be described as a great beauty, but she was pretty in an understated way. Violet Shafig, née Fawley was absolutely stunning at barely five feet tall. She resembled a pixie with her dark red hair that seemed to explode from head in fiery curls. She had wide amethyst eyes that Hermione could not believe we're real, the way they twinkled mischievously. The mother she grew up with and loved was a tall, lithe figure but this woman was all buxom curves and she felt her heart constrict. She didn't look anything like either of them. They resembled something out of fairy tale, so beautiful.

"You next, little love." Antonio said kindly, his eyes focused on his wife, Hermione was struck dumb at how they shimmered with such love. With a much more complicated wave of his wand, Hermione crumpled to her knees. Her mother was beside her, making soothing cooing sounds into her hair but she couldn't focus on that when she was in so much pain.

Antonio conjured a all mirror before her but she couldn't look at that, it felt like her body was being torn apart. The only other time she felt such pain was when she was under Bellatrix Lestrange's wand. She could feel herself shrinking and growing at the same time and her magic, her precious magical core was expanding and contracting erratically. After what felt like a lifetime the fiery pain dulled and she looked up into the mirror, her now bloodshot amethyst eyes wide in shock. She heavily favored her mother with her petite curvaceous frame but she had her father's hair, nose, and full lips. Reaching out, she touched her reflection, thinking vaguely she resembled a china doll and she didn't feel real.

"Oh, isn't she precious." Violet cooed, running her fingers through her black spiral curls.

"Is this real?" Hermione asked weakly, eyes still glued to her reflection.

Antonio kneeled down beside her and place a comforting arm around her shoulders as he smiled at her reflection proudly. "My girls, much better than those muggle's faces."

"You mean the Grangers are real people?" Hermione gasped, turning to look at her father for the first time.

"Oh yes." Violet nodded enthusiastically, flipping her vibrant red curls over her shoulder. "Severus found them, had a little witch a little older than you so we just took over their lives. It wasn't supposed to last so long but I'll just have to have a word with Severus and Lucius."

"Took over?" Hermione repeated blankly, blinking owlishly at her mother's nonchalant manner.

"Yes, we needed the mudblood's magical signature...just in case you let off a large dose of accidental magic." Antonio said flippantly as if it were obvious, missing that his daughter flinched at the slur. "Did it really take so long to eliminate the Dark Lord?"

"You...were against Voldemort?" Hermione asked hopefully, feeling a pool of dread settle in her stomach as she watched her parents visibly flinch away form her at the sound of his name.

"Well, he certainly had ideas." Violet said neutrally, inspecting her nails with a slight frown on her face.

"One of his followers wanted you." Antonio said slowly, his bright eyes flashing dangerously as he looked at his daughter. "You were meant to be a reward, of all things. So, we went into hiding until the You-Know-Who was defeated. Lucius swore under an unbreakable vow to never betray our plans. Severus was meant to retrieve us when it was safe, he was the only one who actually knew of our identities."

"Were you a death eater?" Hermione asked hesitantly, her eyes darting to her father's covered forearm against her will.

"No. We were strictly neutral with all that unpleasantness." Violet sniffed daintily as she sat back with her arm wrapped securely around her daughter.

"Unpleasantness?" Hermione demanded hotly, jerking away from her mother in outrage. "It was a war!"

"Were you involved in any conflict?" Antonio asked in a pained whisper, clenching his fists tightly in his lap. Without a word Hermione reached into her beaded bag and pulled out a hand full of crumpled copies of the Daily Prophet. Ten issues from the day after the final battle, her name and face flashed up at them along with her best friend and boyfriend's. Her parents looked at each other with matching frowns, Hermione remained silent as she watched the couple in front of her. These were not the people who raised her, even though she grew apart from them in the later years of her education she could safely say they were now strangers to her.

"War heroine?" Violet asked delicately, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on Hermione's forearm, right over the ugly scar Bellatrix Lestrange left her.

"I hate it, I left as soon as I could to find you but..." Hermione said in a pained whisper, unable to continue. Unable to explain the sense of loss she felt learning that the parents that raised her was nothing but an intricate illusion.

"This could be very complicated...unless we leave Hermione Granger behind." Antonio smiled slyly, drawing his daughters attention back to himself. He felt dreadful, knowing that his daughter obviously went through some unspeakable horrors but he still felt that the chosen route was best, even if they were in hiding longer than they originally intended.

"I am Hermione." His daughter spat through clenched teeth as she jerked away form him with narrowed eyes. "I fought a war! I have friends, loved ones, a boyfriend! I'm not just leaving that all behind because I suddenly have a new face!"

"A boyfriend?!" Her parents shrieked in unison, looking at her in horror.

"Ron Weasley." Hermione stated bluntly, lifting her chin defiantly as her parents exchanged an uneasy glance.

"A blood traitor." Violet scoffed daintily with a roll of her striking eyes, making Hermione's blood boil in outrage. Her mother who lived as a muggle for years, raising her without the help of magic was looking down on the man who fought beside her since they were children.

"A dirt poor blood traitor at that!" Antonio thundered, not allowing Hermione to retort to her mother's blunt statement. Their daughter looked between them and she glared at them defiantly as her father thundered on. "How far has this little...endeavor gone?"

Hermione was silent for a moment as she looked between her parents, trying to gauge if they were actually serious. If they were really upset about her new found relationship with her best friend of seven years. When they looked at her expectantly she sighed in defeat, her cheeks stained pink, and mumbled. "Not far...just a few kisses. We've been very busy since the final battle with all the trials."

"Trials? Why would you need to involve yourself in the trials?" Violet seemed to relax when she realized her daughter was still pure. She smiled brightly as reached out to take one Hermione's raven curls and twirled it idly in her fingers. "You're only sixteen."

"I'm almost nineteen." Hermione sighed petulantly but relaxed under the familiar touch, even if they didn't look or sound at all like the parents she grew up with they were still in there.

"No, Hermione Granger is nearly nineteen." Antonio said sadly, patting her hand with a sympathetic look on his face. "You were born 15 August 1981."


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione awoke sometime later is a luxurious bed wrapped in silk, she blinked owlishly as she took in her surroundings in awe. The room was grand, open and airy with large windows to let the light in and so...pink. She pushed back the heavy blankets and unsteadily got herself onto her feet. It took a moment for everything that happened the day before to come back to her with disorienting clarity. Looking down at herself, she grimaced. Her parents dressed her in a silky silver slip that left little to the imagination. Before she could search for her wand so that she apparate far far away, a house elf popped into existence at her feet and looked at her expectantly.

"Little Mistress needs assistance?" The female house elf bowed so low her nose nearly touched the floor. Hermione raised a brow at the clean, sterile white uniform she was wearing, unlike the pillow cases and tea cozies she was used to.

"Who are you?" Hermione asked a bit harsher than she intended but the elf didn't seem affected at all by her tone. In fact she turned on her heel and threw open an ornate oak door to reveal a walk in closet filled with high end witch's robes.

"I's be Poe, Mistress." The elf sniffed haughtily as she grabbed a set of emerald green robes and held them out to Hermione. She could only accept the offered garment as she stared at the house elf in wonder. Her experience with house elves was limited to interactions mostly with only three elves and the Hogwarts elves while Poe was completely different from what she expected.

"It's nice to meet you, Poe." Hermione held out her hand out to the elf with a sheepish smile but the elf just looked from the offered hand to her face with a frown before turning away.

"I's be meeting Mistress when Mistress be a babe." Poe scoffed as Hermione's hand dropped to her side, the house elf walked over to the vanity table and started moving the toiletries around absently. "Is Mistress be needing assistance bathing?"

"Uh...I don't know where I am?" Hermione said slowly, clenching the high quality material in her fists.

"The Ancient and Noble House of Shafiq, Mistress." Poe said imperiously, her chest puffed out in pride as she moved towards the French doors. Hermione gasped as the doors opened to show the sprawling landscape of English country side. The rolling hills were a patchwork of different shades of green that took her breath away as she absentmindedly stepped forward onto the balcony. Looking down, she saw she was at least three stories above the ground, right above a well manicured garden filled with different magical flowers. "Shafiq Stronghold."

"Wouldn't a stronghold need walls?" Hermione wondered aloud as she looked around the beautiful grounds in awe.

"Walls be knocked down when Poe's mother be a girl." Poe said quietly looking up at Hermione with a wistful smile. "Poe be so happy Mistress finally be home with family."

"I don't really need an elf." Hermione mumbled uncomfortably at the adoring look the elf's face.

"Mistress not be wanting Poe?" The little elf cried out indignantly, her face set in a harsh scowl as she looked at Hermione.

"It's not that...wouldn't you rather be free to do what you like?" Hermione asked slowly with a tinge of hope to her words. She was shocked as the elf rocked back on her heels and looked back at her with pity.

"I's be free to tend my Master and Mistresses, what would they be without their Poe?" Poe asked with her hands on her hips, her thin lips pinched in a line that rivaled her former transfiguration professor.

"I assure you, I would be fine." Hermione said softly, kneeling down so that she was eye level with the elf. "I'm used to taking care of myself."

"Mistress not be caring for herself!" Poe shouted indignantly, looking at Hermione in horror. "Poe's be reading the papers! Mistress stomping around England! Mistress be starving herself! Mistress be needing Poe!"

"It had to be done, Poe. While I greatly appreciate your offer to help, I don't need a house elf." Hermione said sternly as she stood to her full height, belatedly realizing her height was not nearly as impressive as it once was.

"Mistress wants Poe gone?" The house elf looked heartbroken as she took a step away from Hermione.

"I just want you to be free to do as you wish!" Hermione quickly assured the elf, feeling terribly guilty as she noticed the tears welling in Poe's eyes.

"Then let Poe care for Mistress!" Poe cried as she flung herself at Hermione's legs, her body shaking with sobs.

"I'm sorry!" The curly haired witch cried out anxiously, patting Poe on the back awkwardly to try and sooth her. "I didn't mean it, of course I need your help!"

"Excellent, Mistress!" Poe cried happily, pulling herself away from Hermione with a bright smile. For a moment Hermione was silent as she looked down at the house elf and wondered if she'd just been manipulated. "Is there anything Poe can do for Mistress?"

"How did we get back?" Hermione asked curiously, running her fingers over the soft material in her hands, feeling overwhelmed by the unexpected events of her reunion with her family and house elf manipulation.

"Master used emergency port key." Poe said shortly before pushing Hermione back into the room with a frown on her face. "Mistress be needing to get dressed!"

"Why?" Hermione paused, staring at the tastefully decorated room with trepidation.

The house elf stood at her full height, barely reaching Hermione's ribs, and put her hands on her hips as she leveled her with a stern glare. "Mistress be needing to look nice. Mistress family be coming out today!"

"Coming out?" Hermione whispered weakly but before she could say anything else Poe snapped her fingers, vanishing Hermione's clothes. With a startled gasp, she didn't hear Poe snap her fingers again, and she found herself once again fully dressed. Poe shoved her down into the seat at her vanity table and started sticking combs and clips into Hermione's curls.

"Mistress be needing to be looking nice for pictures." Poe said absently as she poured a fruity smelling oil into Hermione's hair. The curly haired witch looked at her reflection with a grimace, still refusing to believe that it was her face staring back at her.

"What I-" Hermione asked, quickly looking away from the porcelain face in the mirror but her mouth snapped closed as the house elf gasped loudly and grabbed her arm.

"Who's be doing this to my Mistress?!" Poe demanded in a high pitched, hysterical voice. Hermione was rendered speechless as Poe tightened her grip on her arm, shaking her slightly. With another snap of her fingers, the combs and clips disappeared from Hermione's hair and the house elf was dragging her from the room.

Hermione was silent as she was lead through winding corridors, not pausing to look at the beautiful landscapes or haughty portraits of who she assumed were her ancestors. The long hallways started to blend together until they finally came to a bright airy light blue room where her mother was sitting with the last person she ever expected to see.

"My darling!" Violet Shafiq stood gracefully and walked towards Hermione to embrace her in a loving hug. She noticed for the first time that she was the same height as her mother and as she looked around to see Rita's quick quotes quill flying across the parchment.

"Mistress." Poe whispered, her eyes narrowed as she saw their guest watching them hungrily. Discreetly the house pulled Hermione's sleeve back to show Violet her daughter's arm. "Little mistress be needing you to look."

"Who did that?" Violet demanded in a low voice full of venom, her eyes flashing dangerously as she looked to her daughter expectantly.

Hermione took a deep shuttering breath before she looked up to meet her mother's eyes. "Bellatrix."

"I'll kill her." Violet whispered harshly, reaching up to cup Hermione's cheek tenderly.

"Molly Weasley beat you to it." Hermione sighed as she leaned into her mother's touch. Even if she looked and acted like a complete stranger, with one touch it reminded Hermione that it was her mother standing before her.

"Miss. Skeeter, I know you are not going to publish anything that would be detrimental to our return to polite society." Violet turned on the scandalous reporter with a wolfish smile, her amethyst eyes twinkling maliciously.

"Of course not!" Rita paled dramatically as she clutched her chest, even after two decades it was hard forget the vindictive Violet Fawley from her school years. "I was just so touched by this reunion! It's wonderful to see you again, Miss. Granger...or do you prefer Miss. Shafiq? To go along with your new appearance."

"Miss. Skeeter..." Violet cut off Hermione with a silky purr, stalking gracefully across the room to sit at the little round table. "I know it may seem complicated, what with the startling changes but Hermione Granger is the same as she always was, just in a new wrapper. She is still that same girl you met in her fourth year, I seem to recall that was the year you became so well acquainted?"

"Yes, I remember." Rita mumbled absently as she reviewed her notes, unable to meet the petite woman's probing gaze.

"Yes, we became close acquaintances, mum." Hermione smiled as she watched the foul reporter who caused her friend so many problems squirm. "I don't believe in secrets with my family, Rita."

"Come sit." Violet waved absently to the seat at her side as Hermione lumbered forward with much less grace than her mother. Poe was at her side in an instant, preparing her tea just the way she liked it before disappearing into the shadows.

"So, Miss. Shafiq...were you aware that you were truly a pureblood this whole time?" Rita asked after moment of awkward silence.

"No, act-" Hermione started but her mother put her hand on Hermione's arm to silence her.

"Unfortunately, the one who was supposed to come and release us from the charms hiding us passed during a battle for the light. My daughter grew up thinking she was nothing but a muggleborn." Violet said primly with a polite smile, raising her cup to take a delicate sip. "Obviously, blood will out since she is a decorated war heroine and hailed as the brightest witch of the ages."

"I see." Rita said in a clipped tone as she reviewed her notes once more. "And your relationship with Mr. Weasley? How does he feel about your new found heritage? Is he relieved to be marrying a witch from the sacred 28?"

"My daughters relationship should not be a topic of interest for the Daily Prophet." Violet cut her daughter off once more with a tight smile, absently brushing a curl from Hermione's face. "Also, we have yet to be approached by the Weasleys for permission to court my daughter so I think wedding bells may be a bit premature."

"Is it Mr. Potter?" Rita was unfazed by Violet's pinched glare. "We have reports of seeing Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter out and about with eligible young witches while you had your little trip."

"Rita!" Antonio's deep voice startled the trio and Rita nearly spilled her tea on her robes when she jumped in her seat. "Sorry I'm late, I was detained trying to reconnect with some old friends."

"You're never late, dearest." Violet cooed as her husband leaned down to kiss her cheek before moving to sit on the opposite side of Hermione, resting his arm casually on the back of his daughter's chair. "We were just discussing some of our daughter's friends."

"Ah, yes. I remember she spoke highly of them when she came home for the holidays in school." Antonio said vaguely as a house elf Hermione didn't recognize came to fix his tea. "Tell me, Rita..." He trailed off as he took a sip of the monogrammed cup and his obsidian eyes zeroed in on the fidgeting reporter. "Is it true my daughter kept you in a jar?"

"I-" Rita squeaked as she knocked over the cup in front of her, Poe was at her side in an instant cleaning up her mess and mumbling under her breath. "I well-"

"You see, I was just thinking back to it..." Antonio continued as if she had not spoken at all with an air of nonchalance. "While I was posing as a muggle, I thought it was just the oddest thing...a reporter posing a dung beetle of all things...but then as I pondered about it some more...A fine for not reporting that you were an animagus really didn't seem like all that bad of a punishment, I couldn't believe that you actually buckled under my daughter's threats..."

"Then we were able to review over a decade worth of issues of the Daily Prophet..." Violet continued for her husband while he took a drink form his tea. Hermione looked between her parents with wide eyes, the subtle glances and touches made her head spin. "You're responsible for reporting a lot of corruption in the ministry...admiral, really...especially with the old families having such long memories."

"It would be awful for them to realize how you came upon their secrets, wouldn't you say dearest?" Antonio asked lightly, turning to his wife with a besotted smile but his eyes were glittering cruelly, making Hermione shiver.

"Of course." Rita said thickly as she laid down her notepad and quick quotes quill, looking slightly green as she read over the words already written.

Less than two hours later, Violet was reading over the final draft of the article and Rita Skeeter was biting her nails as she watched her like a hawk. Antonio was sipping something brown and strong from his sifter and Hermione was in awe of her parents, wondering how she was the product of two obvious Slytherins. Her parents worked flawlessly together, completing each other's sentences and they never missed a beat as they intimidated the famous reporter into writing the article they wanted.

"Lovely work, as always, Rita!" Violet exclaimed with a bright smile as she pushed the parchment across the table. Rita picked it up with obvious trepidation before reading it over, her face steadily losing color the more she read.

"But this-" Rita started to protest but shut her mouth with an audible click as Antonio slammed his crystal sifter down on the table more force than necessary.

"As I was saying, absolutely wonderfully written, Rita." Violet simpered as she stood up with an expectant expression on her face. Rita was quick to stand as well and Antonio offered Hermione his arm so that they could walk the reporter to the floo. The curly haired witch was in a daze at her father's side as they walked through the large stately home in silence.

"If there's anything else you need..." Antonio said with a charming smile when they reached a large drawing room with a magnificent crystal chandelier. Even grander than the room she was tortured in, Hermione thought bitterly.

"No, thank you. I have everything I need." Rita said quickly, edgily stepping towards the large fireplace. Violet offered the ornate porcelain pot filled with powder and with a flash of green flames, Rita Skeeter was gone.

"I cannot believe the woman still uses a quick quotes quill!" Violet exclaimed as soon as the family was alone. Antonio stepped forward and gave her a lingering kiss, making Hermione feel uncomfortable.

"Well, I have appointments to keep." Antonio sighed sadly as he pulled away from his wife and turned to his daughter with a tender smile. "Apparently my cousin Kingsley Shacklebot has been chosen to be interim minister."

"You know Kings?" Hermione gasped before the words registered. "We're related to Kings?!"

"Mm, yes you know Kingsley?" Antonio nodded absently as he gathered up some parchment from the desk drawer.

"Yes, we're both Order members." Hermione nodded eagerly, once again feeling hope that her parents were good people.

"Oh, that reminds me." Her father stood at his full height and watched her critically. "I know you were pretty adamant about keeping the muggle name, given any more thought to that?"

"Well, of course she'll be going by Sienna!" Violet gasped before Hermione could reply, she put her hands on her hips and rounded on her husband with a scowl. "It a lovely name and it follows the Fawley tradition!"

"Actually, I would rather be Hermione...I know that it might not have been the name I was given at birth but I don't feel comfortable changing it." Hermione said firmly, brushing aside the errant thoughts that it technically wasn't even her name but some frizzy haired muggleborn that was lost somewhere in the world.

"Actually..." Antonio spoke over Violet's objection with a sly smirk. "It might be better for her to keep her name...at least her first name. She is up for an Order of Merlin and she's considered an national treasure. Reviewing some of the notes and news clipping...some witches and wizards may be upset to find she wasn't a...muggleborn. It will help associate her with the war heroine that saved their lives."

"What?!" Hermione shrieked after her father turned his back on them to continue looking through the oak desk drawers.

"Your father has a point..." Violet said primly as she brushed a stray curl away from Hermione's face tenderly. "Don't worry so much! Your father will deal with all of that and after the evening edition of the Prophet come out we will be making or first appearance in Diagon Alley for nearly twenty years!"

"Wait! No!" Hermione gasped at the sudden realization that the entire wizarding world would soon know the truth of her birth, including her best friends whom she had not yet managed to tell. "I have to owl Harry and Ron!"

"Invite them for tea." Violet smiled brightly, looking completely serene even though her eyes narrowed at the names of her best friends. "Tomorrow."

"No!" Hermione shook her head hysterically as she grabbed the floo powder and rushed to the hearth. Before her parents could stop her she shouted the passcode for Grimmauld Place and she was gone. She landed gracefully in the sitting room of Harry's home and just as she was about to open her mouth to call for her best friend, Harry rushed into the room with his wand drawn.


	3. Chapter 3

"Who are you?" Harry demanded, his eyes narrowed at the beautiful woman who was able to come into his home. Only Order members had the pass code to floo into his sitting room and she was a complete stranger to him.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she threw herself into his arms and sobbed, the events of the last twenty four hours finally crashing down on her. Harry was frozen with curly haired witch clinging to him so intimately, his first thought of a vengeful ginger haired goddess who sure to hex his bits off if she saw. His face lost all color as he heard foot steps approaching. The mystery woman had such a tight hold on him that all he could do was close him eyes and wait for the end.

"Harry, wh- WHO THE HELL IS THAT?" Ginny screeched when she entered the room to find a voluptuous woman snuggled into her boyfriend. In an instant her wand was out but before she could cast her favorite hex, the hysterical woman looked up.

"Gin!" She sobbed as she flung her arms around the irate red head, her entire body vibrating with grief.

"Uh..." Ginny looked at Harry in confusion but he looked just as lost her.

"They aren't my parents!" Hermione wailed, clinging tighter to Ginny as she tried to control her emotions. "I removed the memory charm only to find out they weren't even muggles!"

"Hermione?" Harry asked tentatively, having seen his best friend sporting another's face on several occasions, especially recently with the press following their every move.

"I knew you would recognize me!" Hermione laughed tearfully as she finally pulled herself away from the stunned Ginny. "It's awful, Harry!"

"Let's just be sure..." Harry paused, his wand still clutched tightly in a white knuckle grip. "What kind of flowers did I leave on my parents grave when we visited last year?"

"I conjured the wreath of roses." Hermione scoffed with a fond smile as Harry's shoulders relaxed slightly but he still didn't lower his wand. "How about we talk about that dream you mentioned when we were drinking fift-

"Why don't you sit down and explain." Harry said quickly, his face burning a deep red as he leaned forward to grab her around the shoulders to steer her towards an ancient sofa.

"Harry?" Ginny sputtered in disbelief, looking at the petite woman skeptically.

"Gin, Hermione is my sister in all but blood." Harry said with a raised brow as he offered his hand, she immediately took it and they took a seat on either side of the crying Hermione. "You really think a different face would throw me off?"

"So..." Hermione took a deep breath and started to recall the entire event of finding her parents all the way until that morning and speaking to Rita Skeeter.

"So, you were a pureblood in hiding with your parents...who are apparently close to death eaters and you're feeling completely lost." Ginny summed up after a few moments of stunned silence. Harry and Hermione both turned to look at her with matching expressions of disbelief. "What?"

"Yes, that about sums up the last forty minutes, thank you Ginevra." Hermione let out a watery chuckle as she sat back in her seat with a miserable sigh.

"I think you should be happy that you have parents who love you and try to get to know them." Harry said bluntly, much to Hermione's surprise.

"They may not have been marked, Harry but they are obvious blood supremacists!" Hermione exclaimed hotly, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "I'm Hermione Granger! How can I accept them as my parents?"

"You're not Hermione Granger though..." Ginny said with a grimace and put her hands up quickly as Hermione leaned forward to retort. "You're really not, you're Sienna Shafiq! Hermione Granger is some unknown muggleborn that your parents made disappear. I mean, you'll always be 'Mione to me but think about it!"

"What ever did happen to the original Hermione?" Harry wondered aloud but Ginny shook her head with a scowl.

"Don't get side tracked, Hermione these are your parents. They obviously love you very much if they spent the last eighteen years hiding in the muggle world for you." Ginny said as she leaned forward to put her hand over Hermione's. "You can't deny them, even if they turn out to be awful people..."

"Sixteen." Hermione said absently as she mulled over her friend's words, missing the shared look of confusion on the couple's faces. Hermione looked up at them and sighed sadly. "I was born in 1981..."

"What if they turn out to be great?" Harry exclaimed abruptly, plastering a cheerful smile on his face. Inwardly he was slightly envious that Hermione found and returned her parent's memories. He would take his parents back in any form, even if they were blood supremacists. "You were the one who stood in front of the entire wizengamot and told them that Draco Malfoy was a product of his upbringing and he deserved a second chance. Your parents were never marked and their worst crime was abandoning the wizarding world to keep their only child safe."

Hermione and Ginny were stunned as they sat back and just stared at Harry after his passionate statement, not used to Harry speaking so eloquently. His girlfriend nodded proudly and gripped the curly haired witch's hand in her own with an encouraging smile. "Harry's right, you need to give them a chance."

"Okay..." Hermione said after taking a fortifying breath and squaring her shoulders. "Where's Ron?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged an uncomfortable glance before Harry cleared his throat. "Probably at the Leaky, he spends most of his time there since you left for Australia." He said in a deceptively even voice as he roughly rubbed the scar on

his forehead with the heel of his hand.

"Hermione, you should know..." Ginny sighed sadly before sucking her teeth and looking at her best female friend. "There have been rumors...that Ron's been slagging around with other girls."

"What?!" Hermione shrieked, her hand flying to her chest to hold her frozen heart, she gasped for breath at the revelation before shaking her head. "He wouldn't do that to me!"

"We haven't seen anything!" Harry quickly put a comforting hand on her shoulder to sooth his best friend while throwing Ginny a pointed glare.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to stand by while my best friend gets the run about from my idiot brother!" Ginny said hotly, her ears turning a dangerous shade of red.

"You really think Ron would do that?" Hermione asked timidly, feeling her heart clench painfully at the thought of the boy she loved for years betraying her.

"It's been all over the papers and I know they tend to spin things but... I saw him talking to Romilda at the Leaky..." Ginny said hesitantly, a grimace on her freckled face. "She made a pretty hasty retreat when she saw me and Ron looked guilty."

"I don't think Ron would do that." Hermione sighed, tugging anxiously at one of her errant curls.

"I know, he's my brother but..." Ginny's shoulders slumped as she frowned sadly. "I don't want you to be blindsided, Ron's never had the spotlight like he does now...I'm afraid he might have lost his head."

"Well, I guess there's only one way to know for sure." Hermione whispered as sudden inspiration struck her.

Hermione stood in the dark, crowded pub hours later, it was much louder than the last time she came in for a drink. She recognized plenty of her old school mates, sitting around enjoying a pint together. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott stood out and Hermione was surprised that they caught her attention first, they never did before at Hogwarts. The Slytherins were sitting in a corner, talking quietly but she must have been staring for too long because Nott looked up and met her gaze. She blushed under his intense stare as he looked her from head to toe, making her shiver in disgust. Shaking her head she tore her gaze away and almost immediately found Ron's familiar ginger hair. With a sigh of relief she noticed he was alone, so feeling like a heavy burden was removed she took a confidant step forward.

"Ron." Hermione smiled warmly as she placed a hand on his shoulder to gain his attention, her heart swelled when a lazy smile bloomed on his face and all thoughts of her parents left her mind.

"Bloody hell." Ron let out a low whistle that reeked of fire whiskey as he looked her over from head to toe appreciatively. "I don't believe we've met."

"Of-" Hermione paused, biting her lip as she belatedly realized she didn't look like Hermione Granger. Even though the plan was to surprise him and see if he would make a move on some unknown girl, she quickly forgot all that at the sight of her boyfriend. The happiness she felt in seeing him after nearly three weeks fled instantly when she remembered she didn't look like herself anymore. So her boyfriend was looking at a complete stranger, leering at some other girl and leaning towards her flirtatiously, making her internally seethe. "Of course, but everyone knows you!"

"Well, I suppose I have a bit of a reputation." Ron smiled charmingly as he raised his hand to pull her down onto the stool beside him. He kept his hand on her arm as he leaned forward to whisper. "And what's your name, love?"

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Hermione felt tears prick her eyes as Ron continued gazing downward at her body. The robes were conservative so it wasn't as though she were showing any skin but they clung to her new found curves.

"Are you with the press?" Ron asked with a raised brow and brought his arm down to wrap around her waist. "Me and 'Mione had our problems but...I don't want to hurt her, you know?"

"Hurt her?" Hermione choked out as she felt his familiar touch on her hips, drawing her body closer to him as he rested his chin awkwardly on her shoulder.

"Hermione's an amazing witch and I would hate for her to have to hear stories of me moving on." Ron whispered loudly in her ear, feeling his hot breath on her skin made her shudder. "You understand, don't you love?"

Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she forcefully shoved Ron away from her so hard he fell off his stool. "Oh, I understand. I understand Hermione Granger went to retrieve her parents and came home to find her boyfriend is nothing but an arrogant two timing git!" She hissed venomously, the people around the pub paused as they looked at the scene with wide eyes.

"Mental bint." Ron grumbled as he unsteadily got to his feet and brushed himself off, he scowled at Hermione, his face turning the same shade of red as his hair. "What the hell do you know about it?!"

Hermione looked around the now silent pub and internally kicked herself, she hated the way they all stared at her then the whispers started and a few patrons pointed excitedly at the newspapers in front of them. Hermione saw an evening edition of the Prophet on the bar and thrust it at him, unable to articulate a response. Ron's face paled as he saw the headlines, along with the pictures of Hermione with her parents. He looked up with wide eyes then back to the paper, his mouth opening and closing but all that came out was a whimper.

"That's alright, Ronald." Hermione smiled viciously as Ron took an involuntary step back. "Like the article said, it's not like we were officially courting or anything, right?"

"'Mione...is this true?" Ron asked weakly, completely unconcerned with the pub full of people watching them hungrily.

"I came to tell you but...well, you've been busy here." Hermione shrugged nonchalantly moving to give him a warm embrace, smirking as he flinched. As they pulled apart, her hand grazed the front of his pants and she used a wandless silent boils hex she learned while on the run. Ron fell to his knees biting back a high pitched scream and Hermione backed up with wide innocent eyes. "Are you alright?"

"'Mione, what the bloody hell!?" Ron demanded through clenched teeth as he rolled to his side, holding his precious manhood with both hands. Laughter erupted from the crowd around them and Hermione just sighed sadly as she looked down at him, felling only slightly guilty.

"I'll get your mother!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed and ignored his whimpered pleas to come back as she raced for the floo. In a flash of emerald flames she found herself in the comforting, familiar sitting room of the burrow. Molly Weasley rushed in to find Hermione standing in the middle of the room, staring at the floor sadly.

"Hermione, is that you?" Molly whispered as she approached the petite witch hesitantly. Hermione didn't think twice before she launched herself into Molly Weasleys arms, barely holding back tears.

"It's me." Hermione whispered into her shoulder, holding onto Molly as if for dear life.

"What is it, dear?" Molly asked as she rubbed comforting circles on her back, gently pulling her towards the kitchen.

"He's cheating on me, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione whispered as she fell heavily into a seat at the kitchen table. "He was at the Leaky and he hadn't read the paper yet and he told me..."

"No, my Ronald would never do that." Molly shook her head furiously as she summoned a cup of tea and biscuits to sit in front of Hermione.

"He did, he said that we were over and he didn't want to hurt me by letting me know he got over us so quickly." Hermione sighed sadly as stared at her lap with slumped shoulders. Molly looked ready to continue defending her youngest son until she looked at the girl in front of her closely. While she may have looked completely different than the muggleborn girl she had grown to love a second daughter, there was something about her that just screamed Hermione Granger. At that moment, Hermione looked completely devastated and Molly knew she would do anything to help.

"Where is he now?" Molly demanded with her hands on her hips, wand already in hand.

"On the floor of the Leaky...I may have left him a parting gift." Hermione mumbled sheepishly with a pink tint to her cheek. She hesitantly looked up at the woman she considered her second mother to find Molly looking back at her with a proud smile.

"Well, I suppose he can stay there for just a bit longer." Molly nodded sadly as she sat down beside Hermione and started to fix her own tea. She really loved Hermione like a daughter and couldn't believe her youngest son could be so foolish. "Well, tell me about your parents. I admit I didn't know them well but your mother quite a bit younger than me and was infamous for her temper."

"I don't know..." Hermione whispered as she reached out and took one of the biscuits. "It's so odd, they are completely different people...I'm completely different! Look at me! I look nothing like the girl I grew up to be, I'm not even a muggleborn...I'm a pureblood and my parents are blood supremacists! Oh, Mrs. Weasley I don't know what to do!"

"There there, dear." Molly cooed as she laid a comforting hand over Hermione's, her eyes soft with compassion. "Tell me...what minister for magic resigned due to the goblin rebellion of 1752?"

"Albert Boot." Hermione answered immediately as she continued staring at the biscuit in her hands.

"What is the first exception of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration?" Molly asked with a smug smile that Hermione didn't see.

"You can't conjure food, you can summon it, transform it, and even increase the-" Hermione's mouth snapped shut as she looked up at Molly with a slight frown. "What does th-"

"What part of the billywig will make a witch or wizard float when consumed?" Molly asked with an arched challenging brow.

"The sting." Hermione said weakly, shaking her head in confusion.

"You are still the same girl you were just last week." Molly said slowly, taking both of Hermione's hands in her own, forcing her to drop the biscuit of the table. "It does not matter what you look like on the outside or what your name is. You will always be the girl who stood beside her best friend against the darkest wizard in living memory and the girl I watched grow into an extraordinary woman."

"Mrs. Weasley." Hermione whispered tearfully as Molly wrapped her in a motherly hug, running her fingers through her silky curls.

-0-

When Hermione returned her home, her mother was sitting in an overstuffed chair with a book in hand. She looked up briefly when the floo announced her arrival and by the frown on her face, Hermione knew she was not pleased. Shuffling her feet for a moment, she took a deep breath before squaring her shoulders and taking a confidant step towards her mother.

"You've been gone for hours." Violet hummed noncommittally, her book still raised to obscure her face.

"Sorry, I wanted to tell Harry and Ron before the article was published." Hermione said softly as she moved to sit beside her mother. Violet put her book down and looked to her daughter pensively.

"I know this must be difficult for you but you can't just rush off without a proper escort. What if something happened to you?" Violet said slowly, reaching out to grasp her daughter's hand in her own.

"Mum..." Hermione sighed sadly, clinging to the comfort only her mother could offer her. "I've been through a war...I can handle visiting my friends without an escort."

Violet was silent a moment as she reached out and tenderly cupped Hermione's cheek, her eyes glancing down at the scar they both knew was hidden beneath her sleeve. "I'm well aware I have raised a strong witch who I am so proud of but you must also realize that...your father and I will worry and that you must tell us where you go."

"I'm not a child, I can handle myself." Hermione sighed impatiently, hating herself for allowing a small part of her to relish in the tender and protective affection her mother was showing.

"No, I don't think you understand." Violet said slowly, taking a deep, calming breath before looking at her daughter seriously. "You see, the man who was promised you...is still alive."


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm not sure how to tell you this..." Violet said sadly as her daughter looked back at her in confusion. "Your father and I were contracted from the cradle...we loved each other, unlike many of the other matches made within the families. My mother was adamant they sealed it with a family spell; aetura blattus. If we weren't compatible, the contract would render itself void. It would absolutely be the closest thing to a true love match that they could predict what with us only being children. I was always greatful my mother cared so much for my happiness, not all families care more for the prosperity of their children's marriage than the purity of it.

"Anyhow, I'm rambling...what I meant was, I've always known your father was the one for me. There was a man who developed an unnatural attachment to me, he was a casual acquaintance of my father's. He would send me little gifts and, of course, I always gave them to my parents, then we would send him a polite note to thank him. It's not as though it were a secret that I was already betrothed, my family may have been neutral in most conflicts for centuries but we were still traditionalists. However, it was after my family announced that your father and I were formally courting that he started to become obsessed. He was the same age as my father but he sent me the most inappropriate trinkets...eventually letters begging me to run away with him. He started to just show up at Hogsmeade on the weekend and would try to buy me sweets and accompany me to all the shops. Even used his position as a school governor to start hanging around the great hall where he would just stare at me. After we were married, I thought that he was over it, he even took a wife just a few years older than myself."

"Mum...who is this person you're so scared of?" Hermione asked hesitantly, seeing the tears in her mother's eyes.

"I'll get to it, just let me finish." Violet sighed and took a shuttering breath as she focused on her daughter who looked so much like herself. She silently cursed herself, feeling so guilty that her daughter never grew up the pureblood Princess she should have been. "I had not heard anything about him for a few years, rumor was he was focusing on producing an heir. It was days after we announced that we were pregnant with you that his wife passed from a fall down the stairs. I didn't think anything of it but...a couple weeks before you were born, Lucius came in the middle of the night."

"Lucius Malfoy?" Hermione squeaked with wide eyes, still in disbelief that her parents would ever associate with such an evil man. Her mother only nodded before giving her hands a comforting squeeze.

"Your father was in the same year as Lucius, they were good friends. Anyway..." Violet chewed her lip as she paused, looking towards the door longingly. "Apparently, one of his...associates...was able to capture one of the Order members the Dark Lord had been hunting for nearly a year and brought her before them during a revel. His request was you, Lucius said he was crazed, claiming that he wanted to join the families. At first, he thought he only wanted to try and contract you to his son but...then he over heard him speaking about rituals and all kinds of blood magic. Only a day later the Dark Lord came calling to demand that we turn you over to his most loyal servant after you were born. Saying that it was a great honor, that magic would make you the perfect match.

"Lucius understood that we could never give up our child to the man so he called Severus Snape...he was gifted in potions as well as dark rituals. The day after you were born, Severus found a ritual that would essentially copy another's magic and appearance. Obviously, because of accidental magic we couldn't all hide out as muggles so, he was able to find the name of a muggleborn who recently exhibited her first bit of magic. The glamours were easy and since our cores were already fully developed we didn't need to conceal our magic. In less than a week, we had our vaults and properties on lock down and we were planted safely in the muggle world until Severus and Lucius would come for us."

Hermione was silent as she sat back and stared at her mother with wide eyes. Finding out her potions professor and the man who tried to kill her multiple times through the years actually saved her family was mind boggling. It took her a few minutes of opening and closing her mouth to finally decide on which question she wanted to know first. "Who were we hiding from?"

"Thoros Nott." Violet breathed, her face taking a slightly green pallor as she swallowed thickly. "We believe that you are safe now that the dark lord is gone but he was not captured at the battle. Your father actually met with his cousin, the minister, earlier today to see if he could find out anymore."

"And I have." Antonio said from the doorway with a pensive expression on his face, in three strides he crossed the room and pulled his distraught wife into a comforting embrace. "You must understand, little love. We couldn't defy the monster, not publicly. Most of our closest friends and associates were his supporters, the best we could do was hide."

"Why couldn't you go to Dumbledore?" Hermione asked softly, looking at both her parents for the first time with understanding. They may not be the loving muggles she grew up with but they loved her enough to abandon their world all together to keep her safe, give up their magic.

"We weren't Slytherins but we never let the house divide get in the way, unlike most of our classmates. Seeing as my best mate through school was Lucius and your mother was childhood friends with the Black sisters, we were guilty by association." Antonio said seriously as he sat on the couch beside her and pulled Violet onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You weren't Slytherins?" Hermione gasped, while she knew that there were purebloods in every house she just assumed her parents were snakes because of their ties with Malfoy and Snape.

Violet let out a tinkling laugh as she relaxed back in her husband's arms and smiled fondly at her daughter. "On no! I was a Hufflepuff!"

"You were a badger?" Hermione said slowly, thinking back to the look of absolute terror on Rita Skeeter's face that morning, her parents exchanged a knowing glance.

"Badgers have teeth and claws, just because we are excellent at finding things does not make us nifflers. We find what's ours and keep it safe." Violet sniffed with a wicked smile as Hermione guffawed.

"I was a Ravenclaw, prefect and head boy." Antonio said proudly, resting his chin on his wife's head with a smile. "Lucius was so angry, constantly battling me for top spot in our year. Even tried bribed me so that ol' Abraxus would get off his back, as if the Shafiq's were ever second best. Glad to know that my daughter would be the same, even at such a disadvantage."

"I thought you were good friends?" Hermione asked curiously as a house elf appeared at her side with a tray filled with tea and baked goods silently.

"Oh, we were." Antonio shrugged carelessly as Violet leaned forward in his lap to take her tea from another elf she didn't recognize. Hazily Hermione wondered just how many elves her family own, she couldn't help but scowl at the thought. "He was an ambitious Slytherin and I was ravenous Ravenclaw, I made it my goal to read the entire Hogwarts library. It seemed like every time I got even halfway through, more and more rows of books would appear overnight."

"What did he try to bribe you with?" Hermione asked curiously as she tucked her feet beneath her and relaxed into the sofa, looking at her parents with a bright smile. It was almost like like before, sitting with then so comfortably as they told her stories of their youth. She wondered if they actually told her stories of the real Grangers' lives and thought she had to look up the spells they used to hide themselves.

"First, it was galleons." Antonio hummed, taking the cup from his wife's hands and draining it despite her protests. "Now, our family is not nearly as wealthy as the Black's or Malfoy's but we are comfortable enough not to take such petty bribes. Then, it was Ogden's best, some vintage bottle his father and his father before him had been saving. His last attempt was a date with an older Slytherin half blood who was...well, anyhow...of course, I turned him down!" He scoffed at the affronted look on his wife's face before he turned to his daughter with a fond smile. "Obviously! I was made head boy and Lucius eventually got over the sting."

"It gave him more time to focus on finally wooing Cissi." Violet smiled smugly as one of the house elves fixed her another cup of tea. "That was entertaining, even though I was a bit younger she told me all about it but that's a story for another day...what did you find out from your cousin?"

The smile instantly melted off Antonio's face as a deep frown set in, he looked between his wife and daughter chewing his lip pensively, a habit his daughter inherited. "He couldn't go into much detail, seeing as I don't work for the ministry. It was only after he brought in a goblin to do blood tests that he told me anything at all."

"Goblins do blood tests?" Hermione lifted her head up as her eyes brightened curiously. "Do they have some kind of magic that tests DNA? Would they have known who I was if they tested me?"

"They do a its a very simple legacy test, they take a bit of your blood, pour it over this stone and then it writes out your family tree...in blood. It takes a while, seeing as it starts at your first magical relative so that you can actually see just how many generations-" Antonio started to explain in a very similar tone that Hermione found herself using many time when explaining lessons to Harry and Ron.

"Don't leave us in suspense!" Violet chided lightly with a flirtatious smile, Hermione laughed softly as her father kissed her mother on the nose and cleared his throat.

"Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted!" He grinned unrepentantly as his wife lightly elbowed him in the side. "The goblins were aware of that we went into hiding as muggles and if they tested your blood, it would have shown that you are Sienna Shafiq."

"So, the ritual you did...didn't change my blood at all?" Hermione asked excitedly, thinking back to all the questions she had about what kind of magic they used to hide themselves.

"No, we copied the mud-ggleborn's magical signature through a ritual Severus found. It was a very complicated variation of a glamour charm, only with the correct counter could it be lifted." Antonio said slowly, nearly biting his tongue as he nearly slipped and used the slur he now knew was carved into his daughter's arm.

Hermione was silent for a moment as she stared down at her lap, she looked up nervously before asking the question she really wanted to know. "So, what happened to the real Hermione Granger and her parents?"

"The muggles were obliviated and the child had her magic suppressed." Violet explained with a dainty shrug of her shoulders, not understanding the way her daughter seemed to lose all the color in her face.

"You suppressed her magic?!" Hermione shrieked, looking between her parents in horror, neither looked over concerned at the fate they sentenced a mere toddler to.

"Well, not completely...after all, we needed her signature so yours could mirror hers. It was all terribly complicated but it was all worth it because in the end you were safe." Antonio said firmly, his dark eyes glittering with such cruelty that Hermione actually flinched.

"So...why am I not practically a squib if my magic mirrors hers?" Hermione asked tightly, her whole body rigid as she sat up straight in her seat.

"Your signature matches hers, your actual magic was much stronger." Violet scoffed impatiently, if she were honest she just wanted to forget the almost seventeen years she spent as a muggle and continue their lives as if they were never interrupted. She understood that her daughter was delightfully inquisitive, bordering on neuroticly analytical in the way that she had to have all the answers.

"There is no difference!" Hermione huffed angrily as she crossed her arms across her chest and lifted her nose into the air. "Muggleborn, half blood, or whatever a witch or wizard might be, magic is magic."

"You don't really believe that?" Antonio asked, his voice laced with pity as he studied his daughter closely.

"Yes, I do!" She nearly shouted but instead took a deep breath and looked back at her parents defiantly. "I'm considered one of the stro-"

"You are a pureblood!" Violet cut her off with a wave of her hand impatiently, both of her parents looked at their obstinate daughter with pinched frowns. "I'm not sure how else to say this but the muggleborn we used had weak magic because she had no magical anchors in her life. Sure she could have developed them later but childhood is critical for progress of the magical core!"

"Tell me some other muggleborns in your year that are exceptionally powerful or even rivaling you in academics? I bet the top three were all pureblood or half blood." Antonio said imperiously with a slight sneer as he looked down his nose at his daughter.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley. He was down for Eton, I'm not sure of his actual rank in in class because I was always busy with my own work. He was also in Dumbledore's army and had a wicked flame hex." Hermione stated in a matter-of-fact tone as she rested her hands in her lap and twisted the high quality fabric in an attempt to keep her temper in check.

"There are always exceptions, usually one per generation..." Violet conceded, still looking shrewd as she daintily shrugged her shoulders. "I remember Lily Evans in school, she was quite a swot and she had the magic potency to put four Slytherins on their arses for calling her a mudblood."

"You knew Harry's mum?" Hermione squeaked, her eyes with excitement.

"Of course, I was in their year at Hogwarts. Of course, I didn't really associate with them too much...Gryffindors are so parochial when it comes to other houses but I did go to Hogsmeade with Sirius Black once." Violet shrugged nonchalantly, hiding the ache she felt realizing that her daughter should have known this, should have known her. It hurt her that her precious little girl grew up with a dentist for a mother instead of herself.

"You dated Sirius?" Hermione's mind reeled at the information, how could her parents think so little of muggles and muggleborns yet associate with known 'blood traitors'?

"Well...no." Violet laughed happily as she looked up at her husband who had an exaggerated pout on his face. "Your father is six years older and I wanted to start courting when I was in my fifth year but Ant wanted to enjoy his freedom while I sat on the shelf."

"Weren't you already betrothed or something?" Hermione asked in confusion, biting her lip as she looked between her parents who were staring at each tower with besotted smiles.

"Yes, it's quite common but when your father heard I was going to Hogsmeade with the heir to House Black?" Violet let out a delighted peel of laughter as her husband scowled and his cheeks flushed with color. "He was waiting at the gate with a pretty bauble and promises of fidelity."

"I don't understand pureblood dating at all." Hermione grumbled, thinking back to the purebloods she went to school with. No one seemed particularly devoted in their relationships and the Weasleys never spoke betrothals. "So, you just used Sirius?"

"Please!" Violet scoffed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "He had his eyes set on my friend at the time, so Dorcas was there to soothe his massive ego when I left to join your father. Also, it's courting...it's usually kept private and handled between the old families."

"Do I-" Hermione stopped herself from asking if she had a betrothed, it was ridiculous. Of course she didn't, she was only days old when they went into hiding. "Where are the Grangers? Can we help Hermione get her magic back?"

"Why would you do that to her?" Antonio asked slowly, looking horrified at the suggestion. "She's nearly twenty, she's a muggle for all intents and purposes. We sent her and her parents to live in the States...her magic is suppressed to the point that she never had to worry about bouts of accidental magic like you. She was a normal girl."

"But-" Hermione started but her mother cut her off with a sympathetic pat on the leg.

"You feel guilty..." Violet nodded in understanding, looking far too compassionate to be the woman that was so unaffected by suppressing an innocent child's magic in the first place. "Remember all the problems you had in that muggle school? They knew you were different, would you really uproot her life just to ease your misplaced guilt?"

"But she's a witch!" Hermione exclaimed, hating that her mother seemed to understand the twisted coil of guilt she felt in her stomach. It was like Hermione stole this girl's life!

"No, she's a squib." Antonio said sternly, reaching out to place a hand on his daughter's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "It would be much more trouble than it's worth to appease your guilty conscience. Nothing was in your control, if you must...blame us. Blame us for keeping you safe at the cost of giving up our lives for nearly seventeen years and giving some struggling muggle family a brand new life."

"Let's forget this for now." Violet sighed sadly, not enjoying the look of sorrow on her daughter's face and wishing to change the subject quickly. "What did you learn at the ministry?"

"They are recruiting heavily in the auror department, even accepting students without NEWTs if they can pass the written and physical tests. There are a handful of death eaters still at large and they are top priority...apparently, one of the inner circle is working closely with Kingsley and the head of the DMLE to apprehend his former comrades." Antonio said gravely as Violet rested her head on his shoulder with a frown.

"Thoros?" Violet asked in a small voice, making him unconsciously tighten his arms around her waist.

"They are setting up a sting operation?" Antonio said with furrowed brows and looked to his daughter, still slowly assimilating the muggle memories and knowledge from their exile. "He couldn't give me any details but they are putting some of their most experienced aurors on the case."

"He's probably gotten over it by now, right?" Hermione asked hesitantly, her shoulders slumped as her mother's lips trembled. Obviously there was more the story than a man who fancied her mother but remained silent as her parents had a silent conversation with a glance.

"We will find out more tonight." Violet smiled suddenly as she reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand. "We're going to visit Cissi and Lucius, they have a boy your age, he should have been in your year."

Hermione lost all the color in her face as her parents looked at her expectantly with happy smiles. She blinked owlishly as she tried to keep her breathing steady, they wanted her to go to the manor. The manor she was tortured for information less than six months previously. Her shoulders slumped as she saw their excited smiles falter, they had not seen their best friends in over sixteen years. Then and there she decided she was stronger than that, she would grin and bear it for her parents. "Of course. Draco Malfoy, right behind me in our classes." She said after plastering a bright smile on her face and giving her mother's hand a reassuring squeeze.

She could do it, she was Hermione Granger after all. Wasn't she?


	5. Chapter 5

Violet dragged Hermione back to her chambers after they finished tea, excited to dress her. Feeling like she missed out on so much of her daughter's life even though she was technically there. She could remember spending time with Hermione Granger, encouraging her love of books and holding her while she cried over the terrible muggle children that teased her. Vaguely, she recalled her daughter's rants about the Malfoy heir but she brushed it aside, it was obviously little boy syndrome since she stopped talking about him after her third year.

Hermione sat with a strained smile as her mother fussed over her curls and picked out expensive robes that looked brand new but were at least twenty years old. Luckily the wizarding world's fashion moved at a snail's pace because the vibrant Amethyst robes that matched her eyes perfectly looked like they could have been bought at Madam Malkins just that morning. Violet cooed over her as she tried to keep her breathing and heart rate even, preparing herself mentally to go back to the manor where she was tortured, to eat dinner with the family that watched her writhe and bleed on the floor.

"It's so lucky you inherited my physique, it fits you perfectly! I don't know what we would have done if you had looked more like a Shafiq! Your grandmother looked like an Amazon, she was so tall." Violet gushed for the third time as they stood beside the floo waiting for Antonio to join them. She had no problems picking busily at her daughter's robes, even smoothing her hands over Hermione's chest, making her daughter squeak and blush crimson. "It's a bit tight in the bust but we can get you some new robes tomorrow, what took you so long today?"

"I spent some time with Harry and Ginny at Grimmauld Place." Hermione said with a sigh, not wishing to talk about her altercation with her now ex boyfriend. Instead focusing on her mother's uncanny ability to embarrass her, muggle or witch. "Then I visited with Mrs. Weasley, it was very...educational."

"Mm, Molly Prewitt, your father was friends with her brothers I believe. They were quite a bit older than me, already graduated by the time I was sorted. How is she doing?" Violet asked airily, noticing that her daughter didn't mention her boyfriend.

"She's dealing with the loss of her son, Fred, but she helped me come to terms with...everything." Hermione finished lamely, avoiding her mother's probing gaze.

"Oh, how terrible." Violet frowned and nodded her head in sympathy. "I'll have to send her a note, invite her for tea. I believe your father knew Arthur, they were in the same house. Have you spoke to your...friend, Ronald?"

"Yes." Hermione nodded curtly, her face pinched in pain as she thought of the appreciative looks she gained with her new physique. It broke her heart that the boy she grew up with and loved so quickly betrayed her but after his abandonment during the horcrux hunt she closed apart of herself off, not fully trusting him yet. For that she was grateful.

"Doesn't sound like it was pleasurable pursuit." Violet said with pursed lips as she placed a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"You won't have to worry about Ron coming to ask for my hand or permission to court me or whatever it is you purebloods do." Hermione said dryly, casting an impatient look to the closed door of her father's office.

"You are a pureblood, Si-Hermione." Violet said tightly, stumbling over her own daughter's name. It was the first time she used it since waking up and her daughter's head snapped up at the sound of it.

"I like my name, I'll accept that I'm not the muggleborn I thought I was...I think I'm dealing with everything quite well, in fact. It was only yesterday it was just me coming to retrieve my muggle parents. Mrs. Weasley made it a point to show me that a new face doesn't change me, I have the same blood as everyone else." Hermione said passionately, staring her mother in the eye, for the first time feeling comfortable meeting the unnaturally colored orbs. "During the final battle, I saw elf blood, centaur blood, and supposed mudblood and its all the same shade of red."

"There's no need to be crude, no one of any intelligence believes that there's mud flowing through any muggleborn's veins." Violet said waspishly, squaring her shoulders as she glared at her daughter. "It's the pride of having centuries of history and magical blood flowing through your veins. Of connecting with magic on a deep and meaningful level, knowing that your magic is what keeps you alive. Think of giving up a piece of who you are for almost two decades!"

"Mum..." Hermione faltered under the intensity of her mother's stare, the tears in Violet's eyes crumbled her resolve and her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I grew up as a muggleborn...I can't just forget how I was raised."

"I know, even if some things are still fuzzy." Violet said soothingly, wrapping her arms around her daughter's petite frame. "I was technically that muggle that encouraged you to accept everyone for their actions and not looks alone. There are lessons you will need and you will have the best of both worlds, I suppose."

"Are my girls ready?" Antonio asked as he threw open his office door with a self satisfied smile, he looked regal and slightly intimidating in his stark black robes as they billowed out around his legs. "My little love, you are a vision. Just like your mother."

"Thanks, Dad." Hermione whispered as she watched her father bend down to kiss her mother on the temple before repeating the action on herself. The tension instantly vanished from her petite mother from one simple touch and Hermione couldn't help but smile.

"Malfoy manor!" Violet shouted as she threw the powder into the fireplace, a brilliant smile on her face as she disappeared in the emerald flames. Antonio looked down at his daughter with a fond smile and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Your mother barely slept last night, she grew up with the Black sisters. She sent a missive to Cissi as soon as it was deemed polite this morning. Bellatrix was significantly older so she was closer to Cissi...it broke her heart to know what that mad witch did to you." Antonio said solemnly as Hermione stared at the ash in her hand. "Will you be alright with everything?"

"Yeah, Dad." She whispered, closing her eyes and willing herself to be strong. Reminding herself how lucky she was to have parents that loved her, she was stronger than the memory of the dead woman.

"Good, because...to be honest, I'm excited as well. I haven't spoken to Lucius in so long. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday, although right now it feels like decades." Her father hummed as he pulled her into a comforting hug seeing as his daughter was visibly tense and nervous. He assumed it was because of her new life, believing they shared the same fears of not living up to parents' standards. "Would you like to go first?"

"No, you go." Hermione turned her head to look up at her father with a tight smile, trying valiantly to mask her trepidation. "I know you're anxious to see your old friend."

"You have flooed before, right?" Antonio paused just as he was about to throw the powder into the hearth and sent his daughter a cheeky smile.

"Dad!" Hermione laughed, feeling more of the tension leave her but it was short lived because her father gave a booming laugh before he too was gone in a blaze of emerald fire.

-0-

Draco Malfoy was on edge, had been on edge since the end of the war. After he abandoned the battle with his family, they were all arrested and held in Azkaban until their separate trials. His mother's was first, Potter made sure of it after she lied to the Dark Lord for him. He fully expected to be sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban or the kiss, the mark on his arm was all the evidence they needed to prove his guilt. No one would believe that he only took the mark as punishment for his father's failure or show him leniency, half his classmates would probably come to speak against him. When Harry Potter got up and testified the events of the night on the astronamy tower, he was surprised. When Hermione Granger waltzed in and gave a moving, heart felt speech that essentially absolved him of all guilt due to his age and dismal upbringing while crucifying half the wizengamot for attempting to sentence him to the dementor's kiss he was rendered speechless.

His father didn't have any war heroes jumping to speak for him, no impassioned speeches of second chances. There was, however, galleons and lots of them. Lucius Malfoy caused an uproar within the magical community after only receiving house arrest and temporary magical suppression. Draco received probation and had to submit weekly to the auror department for wand checks for the next two years. Since his mother wasn't marked and lied for Potter, she was the only Malfoy who was completely free. His father was resentful that he was a temporary squib with limited movement, his mood growing darker by the day. The Malfoy family stayed in the manor, their own self imposed exile, cutting themselves off from the wizarding community.

"Draco!" Narcissa stood in the doorway with a bright smile on her face and tears glistening in her grey eyes, her son stretched on the sofa before turning his head to the side to look at the intruder of his sanctuary.

"Yes, mother?" Draco drawled indifferently, only affording her a brief glance before looking back to his book.

"The Shafiq's are coming soon. I told you to be dressed for dinner!" Narcissa chastised him as she gracefully swept into the room, a piece of parchment clutched in her hand.

"As in..." Draco froze in his seat as his grey eyes widened comically, his knuckled turned white as he gripped the book in his hand even tighter.

"Yes!" Narcissa cried out in excitement, moving forward to try and pull her son off the couch. He was much larger than his mother now, fully grown and the top of her head barely reached his shoulders.

"But...I thought they were dead?" Draco asked slowly, his heart beating erratically at the news. There were many stories of what happened to the family that his parents were close to in their youth. Some said they ran from the Dark Lord, others that they were killed in a freak accident or by the Order. He once overheard his father assuring Thoros Nott that they were definitely dead since they couldn't locate him.

"Of course not!" Narcissa scoffed as started pushing her son towards his room impatiently before leveling him with a pointed stare. "You know exactly what they are."

"Yes, Mother." Draco grumbled before stalking to his bedroom, his mind a frantic mess at the news of the impending visit.

It had been almost a month since his father was released after from ministry custody his trial and his family had not yet had any visitors. Most of the other pureblood families he grew up with immediately distanced themselves, even his friends who had marked parents. Pansy's mother was negotiating contracts with any neutral family who would allow her in the door, which weren't many so she didn't even bother to respond to his letters. Theo spent most of his time with Blaise since his sudden return from Italy, his famous mother took the first available port key after the fiasco that was his sixth year of Hogwarts. Goyle blamed him for the death of his best friend, Crabbe, and the last he'd seen of the stocky boy he had to dive behind the furniture to avoid spell fire.

It took him mere minutes to arrange himself so that he looked every inch the pureblood prince he was. Stalking down the hall to the main sitting room he could hear the excited laughter of his parents and it made him pause. His mother and father were sullen and resentful towards each other since the end of the war. Narcissa could barely look her husband in the eye when they were in the same room because she blamed him for ever bowing down before the megalomaniac, causing the family shame. Lucius's ever darkening moods left him isolating himself in his study at all hours with only the elves and fire whiskey for company.

When he entered the room he was surprised to find his mother engulfing a tiny woman with fiery red curls in a tearful embrace while his father was giving a tall, broad shouldered wizard with black hair a one armed hug. It infuriated him that his entire life he could not bestow such an endearment on his own son, the closest contact he ever received was a simple hand on his shoulder to guide him. The floo went off again and a petite witch stepped forward gracelessly, nearly tripping on her own robes. If it weren't for her father's quick reflexes the curly haired witch in light purple robes would have landed on her face. She let out an awkward laugh as she brandished her wand to clean the soot from her robes and he found himself enchanted by the sound. As she looked up she met his eyes for the first time and he felt his heart clench painfully as all the color drained from her beautiful face. She was a vision and she looked absolutely terrified of him and his parents, Violet Shafiq was there in an instant with a comforting arm around her daughter's slight frame.

-0-

When she stepped through the floo and nearly fell on her face, Hermione let out an awkward laugh. When she found herself face to face with her childhood tormentor, she thought she made a grave mistake thinking she could ever face them in this house. Her parents were beside her though and she felt herself relax slightly as her father tucked an errant curl behind her ear. Steeling herself, she squared her shoulders and looked up once again to find the Malfoy family watching her closely, standing together as a united front.

"Cissi, Lucius, and Draco!" Violet cooed happily as she clasped her hands beneath her chin as her eyes were trained on the tall blond sandwiched between his parents. "You've grown so handsome! I haven't seen you since you were but a babe!"

"Darling, you forget your manners after all that time we spent galavanting about with muggles!" Antonio said fondly but there was a hard glint in his eyes as he referred to their escape, he sent Hermione a pointed look which meant he expected her to be polite before looking back to his wife.

"Oh, and this is our lovely daughter. I know you only saw her once or twice before we had to hide." Violet smiled proudly as as laid a delicate hand on Hermione's shoulder and subtly pushed her towards the Malfoy's. "S-Hermione, this is Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa and their son Draco!"

Hermione was silent as she lifted her chin defiantly, knowing that they had to have seen the article in the prophet. She was not surprised that none of them stepped forward to apologize or even recognize the horrific time she spent on their drawing room floor. Instead, she plastered a polite smile on her face attempted a curtsy as she'd seen in an old film. "Thank you for having us in your home."

"The pleasure is all ours." Lucius said in a deep, gravelly voice that sounded as if it were hardly used. He took her hand and Hermione froze as he bent down as if to kiss his knuckles but his lips never made contact. Draco swaggered forward next and she had to bite her cheek hard enough to draw blood to stop herself from jerking her hand away from him. She could feel her father's eyes on her, demanding silently that she be polite to their friends.

"Hermione, what a beautiful name!" Narcissa moved forward last to kiss the air on either side of Hermione's face and lightly embraced her. "You look just like your mother, I would have thought you would stick to the naming tradition! We did make a pact!"

"Oh we did, she just prefers going by Hermione then Sienna." Violet laughed lightly as she stepped forward and put a comforting hand on Hermione's arm. Violet glowed with happiness as she looked at her best friend and unconsciously reached out to grasp Narcissa's hand.

"Of course, I think dinner is already prepared." Lucius said just as Violet opened her mouth to speak. His blue eyes were riveted on Hermione, scrutinizing her silently before he turned, offering his wife his arm.

"If I may, Miss. Shafiq?" Draco offered his arm with a charming smile and Hermione was momentarily frozen. Antonio discreetly gave her a push towards the blond as Violet took his arm and the two families walked towards the dining room silently.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione was tense as she sat down beside Draco, the large table was left with only six chairs and arranged skillfully so that the teens sat beside each other, across from her parents and Narcissa with Lucius at the head. Her mother and Narcissa leaned close to each other to whisper about something excitedly while the elves brought out the first course. Draco was a gentleman and pulled her chair out for her before he sat himself, much too close for Hermione's comfort so she discreetly moved her chair as far away as she could without making a spectacle. As the house elves bowed and served their food, Hermione couldn't help but ground her teeth angrily. They all looked just like Dobby with their filthy pillowcases and bandaged hands. She would have to find a way to rescue them, she silently cursed herself for leaving her beaded bag at home. Surely, she still had some knitted hats she could skillfully hide with the rubbish before she was able to leave. Lucius silently offered his son and Antonio some green liqueur with enchanted flames that licked the sides of their sifters.

"I just want to welcome our friends back to the wizarding community. I wish you could have made a return much sooner, we have missed you." Lucius started, his voice beginning to sound much smoother than before as he held his glass up with a genial smile. Hermione joined Narcissa and Violet as they raised their own glasses of wine in celebration.

"Don't worry dear, just one glass won't hurt." Violet smiled brightly as she slyly winked at her daughter, nodding her head to the glass in her hand. "Only a few more days and you'll be seventeen!"

"How could I forget?" Lucius offered dryly as he he winked at Hermione, making her squirm in her chair. "Not only has the wizarding community regained an ancient and beloved bloodline but you have come back just in time for their beautiful daughter's debut. To reuniting friends and the joining of families. Ad litteram, quod ineptias"

"Etium!" Everyone but Hermione said at once before taking a sip of their drinks. The curly haired witch looked to her parents in confusion but wisely kept her mouth closed after the pointed look from her father.

"So, tell me Antonio..." Lucius drawled slowly, his eyes lingering curiously on Hermione. "Are you planning on taking up your old positions at the ministry?"

"Is that your oh so cunning way of asking if I'm reclaiming my seats?" Antonio chuckled as his friend sat up straighter in his chair. "Oh, relax Lucius! I have missed you, I'm sure you've voted just as I would have."

"Yes, you've always been so pragmatic, Lucius." Violet hummed in agreement, taking a generous sip of her glass before continuing. "We left you as proxy for a reason, we trust you implicitly."

"But to answer your question, I'm not sure if I will." Antonio said smoothly, taking a moment to take a bite of his meal. "I've only just returned and I'm waiting to see which direction cousin Kingsley is going to take the ministry."

"And I'm the pragmatic one?" Lucius grinned, chuckling humorously and Hermione couldn't help but stare at the sight. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised that he had other facial expressions besides a sneer but to hear Lucius Malfoy actually laughing good-naturedly with her father was unsettling.

"Cissi, we must go shopping tomorrow if you don't have plans." Violet smiled brightly after a few minutes of silence. "Hermione really needs a whole new wardrobe and unfortunately while we were hiding I was unable to instill a healthy sense of fashion in the girl."

"How wonderful!" Narcissa cooed happily after chewing a small bite of food primly. She turned to look Hermione over critically with a certain hungry gleam in her eyes before turning back to Violet to discuss colors and styles.

Hermione sat stiff and silent as she ate slowly, the food tasting like ash on her tongue. Her stomach clenched painfully as she stared at her plate with glassy eyes. Her parents were both deep in conversation with their friends, only glancing at her every now and then but never long enough to notice anything amiss. Malfoy openly stared at her, an indifferent expression on his face as he watched her attempt to keep herself calm. She glanced to where her father was in a heated debate with Lucius over the direction the ministry would be going postwar. When she saw the rage in the blond's eyes, she couldn't suppress the shiver of dread that ran down her spine.

"Are you going to the Parkinson soirée?" Draco asked quietly, trying to draw her attention away from their fathers.

Hermione was silent for a moment, taking the time to look at the man beside her. He looked little like the shadow he was for his trial, there was a little more color to his cheeks and his robes didn't hang off him quite as much. "Only if my parents can somehow guilt me into it." She mumbled uncomfortably, turning back to her plate.

"If your mother is anything like my mother and guilt is all she needs, I have the feeling you'll be suffering the dramatics of Posey Parkinson." Draco leaned closer to whisper, his eyes focused on Narcissa and Violet chatting away like school girls. "I don't think I've seen her this happy since..."

"My mum has been looking forward to this since I retrieved them yesterday." Hermione hummed, a small smile blooming on her face as she watched her mother laugh and clutch Narcissa's arm. They may look completely different from the muggles who raised her but there were small things that let her know they were still there, like her mother's laugh. "Dad says she barely slept last night, she was so excited to to see your mother."

"Mother didn't talk about her that much, showed me some pictures when she felt nostalgic but-" Draco was cut off by his father's irate voice, which steadily growing harsher.

"-udbloods and filth will be getting all of the higher positions! Only the wizengamot is sacred!" Lucius's voice rose as he slammed his glass down on the table to emphasize his point. Antonio looked startled from the outburst as he leaned back in his chair away from his friend, exchanging an uneasy glance with his wife. "And THE mudblood will be heading up the department for control of magical creatures! Draco whinged for two straight summers about her and her pathetic attempts to free the elves! Spunk or vomit!"

"Lucius..." Narcissa hissed, her grey eyes flashing dangerously as she tried to get her husband's attention but the blond man didn't even glance at his wife. Hermione looked to her parents with wide eyes, already knowing that he was talking about her.

"It was all over the papers!" Lucius continued, barely taking a breath as he stared at his best friend from so many years ago beseechingly. "I shouldn't have left, I could have helped! The Weasley cow killed Bellatrix but if I were there, I could have taken the mudblood! I cou-"

He was abruptly silenced by Hermione slamming her glass down on the table so hard it shattered in her hand. Draco was the first to move when he saw her hand was bleeding freely on the table but Hermione just pulled her wand from her pocket as she stood to her feet. "Tell me Lucius, did you ever get her muddy blood out of the drawing room floors?" She asked in a strangely detached voice, her parents watched her pale face with trepidation.

"I don't...how do you know about that?" Lucius asked after a moment of heavy silence at the table, the girl just stared at her hand as the blood pooled in her palm.

"Was it filthy?" Hermione asked in the same hollow voice, making her parents shiver as they looked at their daughter nervously, realization dawning in their eyes. "Did your elves spend hours slaving away on the brown spot on your pristine floors?"

"Oh, Merlin." Narcissa whispered, her face turning slightly green as she looked up at the girl who heavily favored her childhood friend with pity. She couldn't bring herself to look at Violet who was holding her glass so tightly that her knuckles were white.

"Tell, me!" Hermione shouted, her bright eyes coming alive as she finally turned on Lucius with a sneer.

It was the first time she really took a moment to study the man, he had heavy purple bags beneath his eyes and he looked like he just escaped Azkaban with his pallid complexion. She remembered seeing him briefly a few time when she was younger, he was always so haughty, with an air of superiority as he literally strut just like his arrogant son. Now, the man looked like a miserable shell and a small traitorous part of her felt pity but for him but she was too filled with rage to acknowledge that. She didn't bother to attend his trial but Lucius got off lightly compared to his colleagues who were sentenced to the kiss. To hear him spewing such bile about witches and wizards he considered lesser and wishing he could could have killed her instead of running made her blood boil.

"It's not possible." Lucius swallowed thickly as he looked to Antonio for confirmation, only to find his oldest friend glaring daggers at him.

Hermione tipped her hand over, allowing the blood to pool on her plate and ruin her barely touched dinner. "Does it look familiar? Does it look absolutely filthy?" She whispered, keeping eyes focused on Lucius as she clenched her fist. "Just as tainted as when it spilled on the floor in front of you?"

"Sweet...no..." Violet whimpered as she finally found her voice and got to her feet so fast she tipped the high back chair over. She rushed to her daughter but Hermione flinched away.

"Are you going to answer, Lucius?" Antonio stood as well, keeping his black, glittering eyes focused on the man before him.

"We need-" Lucius started but Hermione laughed coldly, cutting him off.

"You needed to make sure the mudblood learned her place? Oh, I did." Hermione hissed, taking a step away from the table and grabbed a linen napkin to wrap her hand. "First in my year since I came into this world, brightest witch of my age, and blood so pure I'm sure it actually cleaned your floors! Awfully pathetic that the great and oh so magnificent Malfoy's couldn't even recognize my prized blood when they saw it."

"Fuck..." Draco whispered as he leaned forward to place his head in his hands, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"Thank you, Draco Malfoy for summing up the theme to this lovely gathering!" Hermione sneered as she failed to calm herself, she looked between her parents in disgust before turning back to Lucius who was staring blankly back at her. "You are pathetic, I have yet to see anything to make you better than anyone else. Don't forget, Mr. Malfoy, I fought against you in the department of mysteries where you were taken down by school children! The ministry provided you with an opportunity to finally see the error of your ways but you're still ju-"

"Hermione!" Antonio snapped firmly, looking at his daughter with a myriad of emotions; pride, irritation, pity, but most of all guilt. "I think you have made your point. Now, I think it's time-"

"Yes, I quite agree, Father. Thank you so much for inviting me back into your home. I think I remember the way to the front door." Hermione cut him off with a glare before she gave an exaggerated bow then turned on her heel to leave the room, pausing at the door to glare at the still frozen figure that was Lucius Malfoy. "You know Greyback gave excellent commentary on the history of your home when he wasn't talking about how sweet my flesh would taste."

The room was silent after the door slammed behind Hermione, neither Lucius nor Narcissa could meet their friend's accusatory stares. Draco was the first to find his voice as he stood from his chair, glaring at his parents. "Please tell me, that you did not hide my betrothed in the form of Hermione Granger."

"Ha! Please don't tell me my daughter was tortured by her bloody godparents!" Violet shrieked, looking to Narcissa incredulously.


	7. Chapter 7

"Well, are you going to say anything?" Antonio demanded as he stood in front of Lucius,who was still staring at the closed door where Hermione disappeared.

"We didn't touch her, it was Bellatrix." Lucius said slowly through clenched teeth as he refused to meet his friend's probing gaze.

"So, you just watched a sixteen year old girl get tortured?" Violet sneered, looking between her oldest friends in disgust. "Did you get what you needed? Did your Lord praise you for your efforts?"

"We didn't have a choice either. Lucius didn't have a wand and Bella was tasked with looking after us." Narcissa said softly, finally looking at Violet beseechingly.

"My daughter was tortured and carved up like a Yule roast on your floor and you say you didn't have a choice?" Violet demanded, her voice becoming shrill and hysterical as she clutched her cheeks so hard, her fingers left small crescent shaped cuts in their wake.

"How were we to know you hid her amongst the muggles?" Lucius drawled coldly, his face devoid of any emotion, further feeding the Shafiq's ire.

"The Lucius Malfoy I knew never would have tortured a child or stood to the side while it was done in front of him!" Antonio thundered, his mouth twisted into a cruel sneer as Lucius flinched away from him as if slapped.

"She didn't tell us anything, she never broke." Draco whispered, his eyes haunted as he thought back to the day watching he watched the fiery witch tortured in front of him. There was a niggling feeling of admiration that he always felt resentful for, even after she stood up to testify on his behalf. He found himself under his Aunt's wand many times since she was freed from Azkaban and he knew he could never hold up to her interrogations the way Hermione did.

"That makes it so much better." Antonio hissed bitterly as he finally swept past Lucius to stand beside his wife and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Your sister carved a slur into my daughter's arm!" Violet wailed, her voice muffled as she buried her face into Antonio's side. "You better pray to Merlin that the healers can remove it!"

"Let's go hope she went home rather than the Weasleys." Antonio sneered as she wrapped his arm tightly around his wife's waist to lead her from the room.

"I can't even bear to look at them." Violet whimpered after the door to the dining room slammed behind them. Before they made it to the main hallway, Draco caught up with them, his mouth pinched in a tight line.

"Let me escort you." Draco said softly as he gracefully swept past them to lead the way back to the sitting room. Antonio and Violet were silent as they followed the blond through the many hallways leading back to main sitting room. Even though they both frequented the ancient manor many times throughout their years of friendship with the Malfoy family, they were grateful for the young heir as all the twists and turns started to blend together.

"Thank you, Draco." Antonio said stiffly as they stood beside the fireplace awkwardly, Violet still clinging to his robes, her small frame shaking with silent sobs.

"I'm very sorry about what your daughter had to endure at the hands of my Aunt." Draco whispered sincerely as he held the small ceramic pot out to the couple. He felt conflicted, seeing his mother smile and laugh made him feel lighter than he had since hearing his verdict. "I have no excuse for the things I've done but I hope that one day you can forgive my family for our many transgressions against yours. I think today was the happiest I've seen my parents since he came back. He was living in our home..."

"Thank you." Violet whispered as she plastered a sad, tentative smile on her face before taking a handful of floo powder. In a flash of emerald flames she was gone, leaving her husband alone with the boy they contracted to their daughter when she was merely hours old.

"You know that contract is magically binding." Antonio said sternly, his mouth pinched into a displeased frown as he stared resolutely at the dying embers in the hearth. "She will be seventeen in two days."

"Yes, sir." Draco nodded his head in understanding as he watched Antonio throw the floo powder at his feet and disappear. After a moment he turned on his heel to go back to the library, deep in thought. He was so distracted he almost missed the petite woman standing in the doorway of the drawing room.

Draco took a moment to take in all of the startling changes of the witch he loathed in school. He could admit, if only to himself, that he did grudgingly admire her from afar. Her sharp tongue and thirst for knowledge never failed to get under his skin while they were in school but it was the simple fact that she was so skilled in wielding magic that made her an enigma to him. She was a muggleborn and everything his father raised him to hate, she was supposed to be filthy, ugly, and magically weak. While her mousy bookworm exterior never exactly appealed to him she was never ugly, just plain. Yule Ball was an obvious indicator that she could look presentable if properly motivated. The few times that he was forced to work in close quarters with her she never smelled like an animal as his father said she would, more like rain and parchment. Hermione Granger was one of the strongest witches in their generation, Pansy loudly complained and whined in their common room because she was so jealous of the Gryffindor Princess.

The girl he went to school with was a tall prefect with unmanageable hair and something to prove. The woman in front of him was undeniably beautiful, she looked just like the old photos of her mother, all soft curves and wild curls. While in school, her hair were mostly bushy frizz where as they were now perfect spirals. The delicate features of her face were perfectly blank as she stared at the floor in the center of the room, right beneath the newly restored chandelier. Her amethyst eyes were dull and puffy and Draco couldn't help himself but to take a step closer, alerting her to his presence.

"I thought..." Hermione whispered, not even bothering to look at him, instead she stared at the spot where Bellatrix pinned her to the floor.

"Come, I'll show you the floo." Draco said as he offered her his arm, the petite witch finally turned to look at him in confusion. He had to fight the heat creeping up his neck as she looked at him with such scrutiny, never had someone made him feel as if he were an open book to be read. Not even the Dark Lord.

"Okay." She sighed as she waved an impatient hand for him to show her the way, ignoring his offered arm. Draco took the hint and turned on his heel to stalk towards the sitting room, surprised that she could keep up with his brisk strides.

"I am sorry about what happened here." Draco said softly after a moment of silence, she was so startled that she nearly tripped over her own two feet and slammed into him. With surprising agility he was able to catch her in his arms and steady her easily, shocked at how light she was in his arms. He immediately felt the warmth of her petite body pressed closely into his own and his heart started to race.

"Sorry because your Aunt is a psychotic bitch who tortured your school mate or because I'm a pureblood now?" Hermione jerked away from him quickly, a rosy blush creeping up her cheeks as she stared at him defiantly.

"Granger, you have to know that I hated seeing her do that to you." Draco said coldly, taking a step back from her with his arms crossed defensively over his chest. "I thought you understood that I didn't have a choice...isn't that what the speech to the wizengamot was about?"

"Everyone has a choice, Malfoy." She snapped harshly, her bright eyes glittering as she closed the distance between them, close enough to feel his body heat through the thin silk robes she wore. "Your choice now is obvious, you can continue being an ignorant, bigoted bully or you can try to become a better person."

"Oh get off your fucking unicorn, Granger." Draco scoffed, disgusted at the churning feeling of guilt in his stomach. "I did what I had to to keep my mother alive and in one piece. I was a child when I used to bully you and your little friends but it wasn't like you were all innocent little bunny imps, you were just as harsh."

"There was a difference, Malfoy." Hermione flinched at his harsh tone but squared her shoulders as she continued staring back at him defiantly. "You hated me based on the blood in my veins but it turned out to be just as pure as yours! While me, Harry, and Ron based our judgements on your intolerable behavior!"

Draco scowled at her before turning on his heel and marching away from her, not even bothering to make sure she was following him. "Doesn't matter who she is, always be an insufferable mudblood." He grumbled under his breath but froze just outside the large double doors of the sitting room at the sound of her gasp.

He turned to find Hermione staring at him with a look of betrayal, which confused him. She stalked past him towards the fireplace, turning on him with her jaw clenched tight. "I really thought you could embrace the second chance you've been given." Hermione whispered sadly, reaching up on the mantel to grab a handful of floo powder. "I thought you would see that magic has nothing to do with blood but I guess I was wrong...enjoy becoming a bitter, twisted old man just like your father."

"Now ho-" Draco started but she was already gone in a flash of emerald flames by the time he stepped into the room. His face twisted into angry scowl as he stared at the fireplace as if it betrayed him by allowing the insufferable woman to leave without granting him the final word. As his mood grew darker, he decided to find his parents to get answers out of them. Not that he expected much, seeing as they seemed just as surprised as he was at the revelation that Hermione Granger was a pureblood, a Shafiq, Sacred 28.

Narcissa was screaming as he stood outside the door to the dining room "-you! If you had not bowed before-" . Draco heard a glass shatter and was quick to fling the doors open to find his father looming over his mother with a sneer on his face. It wasn't uncommon for his parents to fight, it was always the same. His mother always looked indifferent while his father spouted off excuses for why everyone else was to blame, his father and Draco being the most common targets for his scorn.

"You knew that I would follow the Dark Lord before we were even married!" Lucius hissed angrily, his face turning an impressive shade of red as his wife stared at him impassively, looking almost bored. "Don't act like some muggle loving blood traitor now, Cissi! You are a Black and one of the reasons I married you was because you had just a bit more sense than the other simpering girls in our circle!"

"You married me because my family had a contract and my sister ran off with a muggle!" Narcissa hissed, her grey eyes blazing with fury as she glared up at her husband. "I only just got her back and now..." She trailed off with much less fire and Draco could see tears cascading down her pale cheeks.

"It was your sister that that tortured the mu-" Lucius paused, his lips curling upwards in a sadistic smile and his eyes lit up. "-your son's betrothed. It was your son's failure that had my wand taken from me so I could do nothing while I was subjected to that disgraceful scene. So maybe if you had not polluted my heir with so much of your cowar-"

"Stop!" Draco punctuated his harsh interjection by slamming the door behind him. His parents froze in their place before they slowly turned on him, his father smoothing his features to an indifferent mask while his mother hastily wiped away her tears.

"Draco, this is still my house and you can not order me around as if I were nothing but a house elf." Lucius drawled slowly flicking an errant lock of pale blond hair over his shoulder arrogantly.

"At least house elves have magic." Draco sneered as he stalked to the table and poured himself a generous glass of enchanted whiskey, not even bothering to look at his father's stunned expression. "Your petty bickering is not going to help you back into the Shafiq's good graces."

"Draco..." Narcissa stepped forward with a concerned frown on her face as she watched her son down his drink in one swallow. "I'm sorry that the first time you met your future wife was tainted wit-"

"Mother." Draco cut her off sharply as he turned his grey on the woman before him with a scowl. "Somehow, my betrothed, who you have told me would be a beautiful, fiery pureblooded witch was hiding in the halls of Hogwarts as Gryffindor's own mu-muggleborn Hermione Granger. Even if she wasn't tortured in our own home, this dinner was always going to be a disaster."

"Well, it wasn't as if I knew that they would conceal her in such a way. I assumed they would be leaving the country and your father was always very tight lipped about the whole affair." Narcissa attempted to defend herself as she took her seat beside her son and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "The contract is still valid so, all hope is not lost."

"I was never privilege to the details." Lucius said sharply as he too took a seat at the table, on the opposite side of Draco. "I was sworn to never allude to their plans of escape or the circumstances around them until they came out of hiding...or Severus died."

"Well, Snape died during the final battle." Draco snapped impatiently as he poured himself another drink, feeling his temper cool somewhat as the alcohol took effect.

"Yes, but there was the little problem of being in Azkaban and then having my magic stripped from me." Lucius drawled as he sat back in his seat, looking unaffected by his son's ire. He had grown accustomed to hostility since they all returned to the manor, his son and wife resented him and they obviously felt no guilt in showing it.

"Don't worry, my Dragon." Narcissa breathed as she stood to her feet suddenly and leaned forward to kiss his forehead like she did when he was a child. Her grey eyes were glassy and she looked slightly manic while she whispered lovingly into his hair. "Mother will fix everything, don't you worry."


	8. Chapter 8

Violet remained at home while Antonio flooed to the burrow in hopes of finding his distraught daughter. He could not believe the man he considered a brother, the man who betrayed his master by helping him hide his family would stand by idly while his daughter was viciously attacked. Momentarily he was disoriented as he landed in the warm, cluttered sitting room of the Weasley home. Obviously, the two young men were surprised at his arrival but as they got to their feet with their wands in hand, Arthur Weasley stepping into the room silenced whatever spells they were intent to send his way.

"Antonio Shafiq?" Arthur gasped as stood stock still in the door way, his eyes wide as he took in his old housemate.

"Arthur...has my daughter come by?" Antonio asked urgently, turning his back on the redhaired men that still had their wands raised.

"No, Molly said she was by earlier." Arthur muttered as he glanced towards the kitchen with a frown. "Did something happen?"

"Yes, we were having dinner with the Malfoy-" Antonio said with a grimace but was cut off by an unintelligible shout of rage.

"You brought her to the Malfoy's?" Ron shouted angrily, his face turning so red his cheeks matched his hair and his hands curled into fists at his side. "How could you bring her anywhere near those monsters?! Especially after they just sat and watched!"

"You must be Ronald..." Antonio drawled, his lip curling up into a disgusted sneer as he looked the gangly redhead over from head to toe. He cut his eyes to the stocky boy with a missing ear to his side before turning his steady gaze back to Arthur, smoothing his features back into a cool, indifferent mask. "There were some unforeseen complications when we attempted to celebrate our return, along with our daughter's betrothal. Unfortunately, none of the papers or the minister mentioned my daughter's captivity so-"

"Betrothal?!" Ron shouted abruptly, staring at Antonio incredulously. George yanked his brother's wand arm down to his side with a pointed look, which was ignored. "Yo-you took her to the manor?"

"Well, I see that she is not here and I have over-" Antonio started towards the fireplace with an impatient sigh but was cut off once again, this time by Molly Weasley bustling into the room with a plate of baked pies.

"Antonio Shafiq?" Molly gasped with a delighted smile, hurrying over to him and shoving the plate of baked goods into Ron's hands. Her youngest son looked affronted but wisely kept his mouth closed after the tongue lashing he received when he flooed home earlier that evening. "Oh, it has been so long. Hermione was here earlier, I hope she's alright, she was quite upset with everything happening."

"Well," Antonio paused as he looked over the petite woman closely, seeing nothing but genuine concern in her warm brown eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose before turning back to the Weasley couple with a troubled frown. Arthur Weasley was a few years older than himself and he could remember that Arthur was the one to show him around the castle in his first year. Even though their families had never been particularly close, they had always remained cordial and polite. "I may have made a mistake, Hermione left dinner abruptly and I was hoping you could help me find her."

"Unfortunately, she hasn't been here." Molly whispered as she glanced at the family clock and wrung her hands in worry. She added Harry and Hermione to the family clock when she removed Fred's hand. It brought her a small amount of comfort that even after a loss, her family still grew. Hermione's hand was stubbornly stuck on 'LOST' since her return from Australia, only increasing her worry. "Did you really bring her to the manor?"

"I didn't know." Antonio snapped, his own concern for the whereabouts of his daughter was drawing his patience to a breaking point. He always chose to stay cordial with all the old families, regardless of his personal opinion of the individuals. "I was stuck living as a muggle dentist, of all things, for nearly seventeen years! The only information I have is from news clippings and hurried floo calls!"

"Well, maybe she's at Harry's." George's gruff voice stopped his mother from snapping at the distraught father harshly. Both of his parents froze as they turned to look at their son in wonder, hearing his voice for the first time since his ragged screams during the final battle.

"I don't know where he lives, could someone provide me with the floo address?" Antonio turned to the burly redhead with an indifferent expression on his face, his dark eyes glittering impatiently gave away how stressed and vexed the man really was. He nearly rolled his eyes as the family shuffled their feet uncomfortably as they avoided meeting his gaze, only the youngest glared at him defiantly.

"No, we won't be giving you Harry Potter's address." Ron sneered derisively, his stance still defensive as he watched the regal man suspiciously. "You're probably just another death eater and that's why you're so quick to-"

"Ronald that's enough!" Molly shouted, her face growing as red as her hair and she glared at her youngest son, Ron quickly shut his mouth with an audible click and looked sullenly to the floor. She clucked her tongue in displeasure before turning back to Antonio with a much softer expression on her face. "He is right, though...we can't give you Harry's home address. Only Order members know the passcode to his floo."

"But!" Arthur quickly interjected when he saw the much taller man stiffen as he loomed over the petite witch and open his mouth to deliver a scathing comment. "I can floo Harry and see if Hermione is there."

-0-

Hermione didn't return to her home when she flooed away from Malfoy Manor, nor did she seek comfort with her friends. Honestly, she didn't want to risk running into Ron while she was still so upset about her parents and dinner at the Malfoy's. She just couldn't process that the boy she fancied since third year would betray her in such a way. Instead, she instantly apparated from the Leaky Cauldron to the familiar comfort of her family home in Crawley. Slowly she made her way through the house, everything just the same as it was when she erased her parents memories. With a very specific compulsion charm her parents packed only their essentials and they were on the next flight to Australia, leaving their partner in charge of their practice with only a hurried note.

Even though the house was abandoned for a year, there was a still a lingering warmth that comforted the curly haired witch. She only took a few of the photos from the walls before she left, everything else was just the way her family left it. The book shelves were over flowing with her mother's cook books and her father's sci-fi mysteries, her perfect attendance certificate hung proudly beside her mother's doctoral degree. She was still incredibly curious as to the spell work her parents used to take over the lives of the Grangers. Idly, she wondered how bigoted purebloods like them could possibly become so successful in their fields.

With a simple flick of her wand, she summoned a comfortable pair of cotton shorts and one of Harry's old Gryffindor jerseys. She didn't even bother to seek the privacy of her old bedroom but stripped off the her expensive robes in the middle of the sitting room. Without the comfort of electricity, she lit some candles and sat on the sofa with tears in her eyes. She didn't know how long she sat staring out the window before an plain brown owl appeared with a familiar envelope with the ministry seal. With trepidation she tore the letter open and her eyes widened as she read.

Dear Miss. Sienna Shafiq,

 _We have received intelligence that a Summoning charm was used in a muggle dwelling this evening at forty six minutes past eight._

 _As you know, underage witches and wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C)._

 _We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offence under section 13 of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy._

 _Enjoy your holidays!_ _Yours sincerely,_

 _Mafalda Hopkirk_

 _IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE_

 _Ministry of Magic (COS)_

Hermione let out a shrill scream as she crushed the fine parchment in her hands, it was the undeniable proof that her life as Hermione Granger was a lie. She fought in a war but she couldn't even use a summoning charm without the threat of expulsion, traitorous tears flowed down her cheeks as she smoothed out the letter to read it once again. Over a year she used magic freely outside of Hogwarts but never once did she receive a warning but now that her parents broke whatever enchantment they placed on her as a baby, she could be traced once again. An itching sense of paranoia bubbled up inside of her, screaming at her to run and hide but she chose to ignore it as she laid down on the slightly dusty sofa with only her books for company.

-0-

Harry and Ginny were happily putting away the dishes in the kitchen when George Weasley made his appearance at Grimmauld Place. The couple silently watched the redhead as he opened his mouth to speak but only a raspy croak escaped. Ginny rushed forward with a glass of water and a look of concern on her face but her brother waved her away.

"You okay, George?" Harry asked hesitantly as he watched him down the entire glass of water before slamming it down onto the table with an audible thud.

"Hermione here?" George asked in a deep, raspy voice, shocking Harry and Ginny into silence.

Ginny was the first to find her voice, Harry gave her a slight nod before she turned to her brother. "She was here earlier but she left to find Ron...did she find Ron?" She asked almost hesitantly with a slight grimace on her face.

"Oh, she found him." George chuckled darkly, the sound was completely unfamiliar and somehow wrong coming from the usually jovial twin. Since Fred's death, he had not uttered a word nor did he smile, he even refused to step foot their shop.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked with a concerned frown on his face and he unconsciously reached out to grab Ginny's hand under the table for comfort.

"Her dad showed up at the Burrow..." George said slowly, waving his wand to silently conjure enough water to fill his glass. The couple in front of him was silent as he drained his drink before continuing. "Mum and Dad had to stay with Ron, he's been on edge since Mum forced a sobering draught down his throat and gave him a right bollocking. Anyhow, Mr. Shafiq, scary bloke he is, shows up asking if Hermione is there because they brought her to the manor to-"

"Malfoy Manor?" Harry quickly demanded, all color drained from his face as he his eyes grew sharp and his body tense.

"Yes." George said gruffly, not bothering to look at Harry's ashen face. "Anyway, apparently she ran off and her father is looking for her."

There was a beat of silence as Ginny turned to look at Harry with a pinched frown on her face, knowing that he was thinking back to the day the snatchers found him. "Did you send a patronus?"

George stared down at his hands with a scowl marring his face, his eyes looked haunted and distant when he finally looked back up at his sister. "I can't." He said shortly before turning away from them and rising from his chair stiffly.

"Expecto patronum." Harry whispered, focusing on his first kiss of freedom, Ginny covered in blood and black soot jumping into his arms with a radiant smile on her face. He was tired and magically exhausted but the feel of her, alive and whole, gave him the strength he needed to stand up in front of the survivors to deliver a rousing speech that came from the heart. A familiar ethereal stag exploded from the tip of his wand and turned on Harry, waiting for instructions.

"Find Hermione, tell her...I need you to come to the burrow right away." Harry said sternly, the stag brushed against Ginny before disappearing through the wall.

"Let's go to the burrow and wait for her." Ginny sighed as she looked longingly towards the still warm apple tart sitting on the counter. Harry was pure magic in the kitchen but his baked goods were always heavenly. George didn't bother with an invitation, instead he grabbed the glass dish and dashed towards the sitting room ahead of them, his dark chuckles echoing through the halls in his wake.

"I never get to try my own deserts between you and your brothers." Harry said sullenly as he he distantly heard the floo chime. "Do you think Hermione is alright?"

"It's Hermione." Ginny's jaw clenched as she looked at her boyfriend sternly. "Of course, she's alright."


	9. Chapter 9

When Harry, Ginny, and George arrived at the burrow they found a stony Antonio Shafiq glaring daggers at Ron who appeared to be silenced and bound to a chair in the kitchen. Molly was busting herself by arranging an overflowing plate of food for the frustrated man with a stern glare while Arthur was standing off to the side looking at his son with concern. Before they could even announce their arrival, Percy stormed in, his arms ladened down with rolls of parchment, his face a bright red and his mouth twisted into a scowl.

"You will never believe the ridiculous ru-" Percy thundered but stopped short at the sight of his mother manhandling Antonio Shafiq into a seat at the table where a plate of roasted chicken and potatoes was set out for him. "What's going on?"

"I told you, Mrs. Weasley." Antonio took a deep breath as he fought to keep his face impassive despite his ever growing temper. "I have no need for sustenance, we already had dinner. I need to find my daughter."

"Antonio." Molly said sternly with her hands on her hips, looking down at him as if he were just another of her sons even though he was only three years her junior. "This is a very trying time and you need to eat. George is a good boy and he'll be back in just a moment, probably with Hermione in tow. Now, relax and try to eat something, you're too skinny."

"'Ello." George greeted the room at large, drawing his family's attention to the trio standing awkwardly in the doorway. He held up the glass dish with a strained smile. "Apple crisp?"

"Did you find her?" Molly and Antonio asked at once, they both froze and turned to each other with matching looks of surprise.

"I've been looking after Hermione since she came into the wizarding world. Don't be so surprised that I'm concerned." Molly scoffed before she turned back to Harry expectantly.

"I sent a patronus, should hear back soon." Harry said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He didn't like the way Hermione's father was looking at him at all. He only met the man briefly when he was a muggle and that was in second year. Mr. Granger smiled and shook his hand, thanked him for being such a good friend to his daughter but Mr. Shafiq was picking him apart with only his piercing gaze.

"She can't do magic outside of Hogwarts, she's only sixteen." Antonio snapped as he sat up in his chair with a scowl.

"What do you me-" Molly started but was cut off by Percy who had a smug smile on his face.

"She's been doing magic outside of school since the Christmas holidays of her sixth year, I highly doubt the ministry has a trace on her signature." Percy stated imperiously as he finally dropped the rolls of parchment in his arms down on the table.

"I don't need to explain how ridiculous that statement is, all I came here for was to find my daughter." Antonio huffed impatiently as he looked to Arthur for assistance. Only to find Arthur examining one of the many scrolls with a concerned frown.

"Well, I sent a patronus and told her to meet us here so she should be along soon." Harry interjected before Percy could retort, but that just brought Antonio's attention back to himself.

"You can cast a messenger patronus?" He asked skeptically, idly twirling his wand in his fingers as he looked Harry up and down as if sizing him up.

"Harry's been able to cast a patronus since he was thirteen." Ginny stated proudly with a kind smile, placing a comforting hand on her boyfriend's arm.

"You need-" Antonio was about retort with a scathing comment about the boy's fan club but stopped himself as pulled a pocket watch from his robes. "I suppose I can still go down to the ministry, hopefully there will be someone working at the Improper Use of Magic Office."

"Her signat-" Percy started but Antonio finally lost his patience and turned on him with a condescending sneer on his face.

"No you don't seem to understand, Hermione Granger no longer has a trace on her magical signature." Antonio spat, startling everyone in the kitchen with the venom in his tone. "However, my daughter, Sienna Shafiq, is only sixteen and therefor does have a trace. When will you understand that the two girls are completely different?"

"But she's-" Harry started but Antonio was already stalking across the sitting room to disappear in a plume of emerald flames.

"Cheery man, innit he?" George drawled as he moved to sit beside his still silenced brother with the apple crisp in hand.

"The poor dear, you've just overwhelmed him, I'm sure." Molly sighed sadly as she waved her wand to summon a stack of plates that arranged themselves on the table.

"Why is Ron silenced?" Percy asked curiously as he picked up one of the many rolls of parchment he brought home before sitting down at the table.

"He couldn't keep his mouth shut while Ant was here, started screaming that the man was a death eater and his daughter was right to run away from him." Arthur said sharply, throwing Ron a disappointed look before putting the scroll down and turning back to his plate.

"Well, I want to know what happened at the Leaky!" Ginny exclaimed with a vicious gleam in her eyes with she glared at her brother. Without waiting for her parents' approval she flicked her wand from its holster and lifted the silencing charm on Ron.

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed, his face still slightly puce from the strain of trying to break the charms placed on him. "About time!"

"Never mind that, what were you thinking?" Ginny demanded, her eyes narrowed dangerously as she pointed her wand at him.

"It's not how it looked!" Ron exclaimed, knowing immediately why his sister was upset, his face distorted into a shameful grimace as he looked away from his family. He wasn't able to get a word in while his mother delivered a personal howler after pouring sobering draught down his throat. His entire family looked at him expectantly, the worst was Harry who seemed so disappointed in him.

"So, you didn't chat up other girls?" Ginny demanded skeptically, her wand lowering just an inch as she studied her brother.

"I did...but it wasn't what it looked like." Ron mumbled as he glanced at each of them in turn before looking down at his empty plate. His mother had the large wooden serving spoon and the dish in front of her, obviously he would not be getting any dessert until he examined. "It's all bloody Mclaggen's fault."

"What's that fucking tosser got to do with it?" Harry asked incredulously, barely ducking in time to miss Molly's lunge to smack him on the back of the head with the serving spoon.

"Language!" Molly snapped but quickly turned her attention back to her youngest son expectantly.

"I met Dean down at the Leaky and the ponce was there..." Ron mumbled sheepishly, looking down at his plate as he idly toyed with his fork. George grew impatient first and took the distractions away from his brother with a pointed look. "He was bragging about how he had Hermione first..."

"Really?" Harry scoffed with a roll of his eyes, his girlfriend slapped his shoulder to silence him without taking her eyes off her brother.

"He was just saying that you know..." Ron trailed off, finally looking up at his parents with an embarrassed grimace on his face.

"You better have a good reason, Ronald Billius." Molly snapped as she sat down across from him with the apple crisp in front of her. "We raised you better than to be some lothario, running around behind poor Hermione's back!"

"I didn't though!" Ron shouted, placing his face in his hands to try and hide his humiliation. "Mclaggen was talking about what a wild shag she was and how her first was Krum...and I didn't think I would match up."

"So you cheated on her?!" Ginny screeched, her wand poised for attack but surprisingly it was Percy who reached out and tugged her arm down impatiently.

"I didn't! I swear, I never shagged any of them and the one time..." Ron groaned as his parents watched him closely, George sat across from him with a sly smirk on his face. It was almost worth his embarrassment to see his brother looking even slightly cheerful. "I thought that if I could get in some practice before Hermione came home then she..."

"You, Ronald Weasley, are going to be degnoming the garden until you are thirty!" Molly shrieked, her face as red as her hair as she looked from her son to her husband for some kind of assistance but Arthur was just staring, dumbfounded.

"You actually believed that Mclaggen shagged Hermione?" Harry almost gagged on the words, thinking back to their one disastrous date back in their sixth year. She avoided him most of the night, even going so far as to eat some supposed delicacy he couldn't pronounce that smelled strongly like dumb bombs before feigning illness and escaping up the girl's staircase.

"Well...you don't understa-.." Ron stumbled for words but was saved by the fireplace roaring to life and Kingsley Shacklebot stepping through and briskly brushing off his robes. Percy leapt to his feet so quickly that a bottle of ink was tossed into the air, landing in the remains of the apple crisp.

"Hello Weasleys...and Harry." Kingsley smiled brightly as he strolled easily into the room with his hands in his pockets. "So, I received the strangest missive..."

"Oh really, Kings?" Molly had a strained smile on her face as she got out of her seat to put a plate together for the newest arrival.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense." Arthur chuckled as he shook his friend's hand in greeting before waving to the table in silent invitation.

"Well, yes I've-no, Molly really I've already eaten." Kingsley tried to protest but Molly just have him a stern look before roughly shoving him into a seat.

"You work yourself too hard, you're far too thin." Molly shook her head while she clucked her tongue in disapproval. She had to force herself not to look at her youngest son who was looking at the ink plastered dessert with longing. "When will you find yourself a nice witch to settle down with?"

"Molly..." Kingsley groaned, an embarrassed smile on his face as the others at the table snickered at the minister of magic actually blushing.

"So, Minister what was the strange missive?" Harry prompted once he was able to stop laughing at the image of Molly Weasley mothering the middle aged wizard who also happened to be the most politically powerful man in the magical community.

"What have I told you, Harry? Call me Kings! Anyhow, since the battle I'm CC'd on all matters if an Order members name comes up. All departments, this morning after I met with my cousin..." Kingsley paused to take a bit of food in hopes that Molly would stop glaring at him pointedly. When the red haired matron smiled, the minister was able to relax and continue. "I added Siena...or does she still go by Hermione?"

"Hermione. She'll always be Hermione." Ginny said impatiently with an exasperated grin.

Kingsley chuckled as he took another bite of food before wiping his mouth and lounging contentedly back in his seat. "Yes, well...apparently the department of improper use of magic was notified that Hermione was summoning things in a muggle neighborhood. I took care of it, of course. Imagine threatening to expel Hermione Granger!"

Whatever the minister was expecting from his news, it wasn't the instant pandemonium that broke out at the Weasley table. Percy looked like he swallowed a lemon while George had a full blown smile on his face, something the minister was happy to see. Ginny was forced to silence Ron, who was screaming at the top of his lungs about death eaters. Harry, Arthur, and Molly immediately leaned forward, demanding to know where the owl was sent.

"Her father was here earlier, she has not responded to Harry's patronus." Arthur explained with a strained smile as he placed a comforting arm on his wife's shoulder to keep her seated. Ron was waving his hands wildly in the air, pointing at his throat but his parents, siblings, and his best friend was too busy looking at the minister.

"They are automated letters...we can head down to the department but it will take hours to file through everything to actually find the address...it's only records the gener-" Kingsley was cut off by Ron loudly slapping his palms on the table to try and draw attention to himself. Ginny rolled her eyes and cast the counter spell, releasing her brothers vocal cords once again.

"Bloody hell! Don't do that!" Ron gasped as he rubbed his hands along his throat as if it were sore, he glared mutinously at his younger sister who just threw him a wicked smile.

"Language, Ronald!" Molly snapped as she brandished the ink and apple splattered spoon with a menacing glare.

Ron just rolled his eyes at his mother but did spare a disappointed glance at the ruined dessert, Harry always made the best treats. He shook his head ruefully before turning to the minister with determined glint in his eyes. "She's probably at her muggle house, 'Mione said she kept everything in its place for when she brought them home." When he looked around the table, everyone was looking at him with disturbed frowns. "What?"

"Just surprised is all." Harry shrugged sheepishly as he shook his head to clear his mind before pulling out his wand.

"She's my girlfriend! Why are you surprised?" Ron demanded but he was brought up short as Harry cast his patronus, giving it whispered instructions.

"Does anyone know where Hermione lives?" Arthur asked as they all stood to exit the room at once. There was a beat of silence before George coughed and looked at them all uncomfortably.

"I do." He mumbled sheepishly as they made their way out the kitchen door. When the group turned to look at him expectantly he let out a long suffering sigh. "Fr-Fred might have fancied the bookworm...so...we planned an elaborate scheme to kidnap her...just a laugh, you know. Then he got back together with Angelina so..."

The group was silent as George held out his arm to take his father to an alley near the Granger home. When they returned, Arthur to hold of his wife and George took Kingsley.

"Who did you send that patronus to?" Ron asked curiously as they waited for his brother and father to return.

"'Mione's dad." Harry shrugged nonchalantly just as George reappeared, Ron was quick to grab his arm with a scowl.

"He's a death eater, Harry!" The redhead shouted in fury just in time for his father to return and give him a fierce glare.


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione was very surprised that after ignoring Harry's patronus the wards around her parents' home shifted to allow someone to apparate within the boundary. It wasn't as if she ever brought anyone to visit her home during holidays. While very proud of her muggle heritage, she always felt as if even her best friends would look down on her or her parents. Harry's only experience with muggles was abuse at the hands of his own family. The Weasleys looked at muggles as if they were a fascinating new species of unicorn, even Mr. Weasley was far too interested in children's toys to take the time to understand the muggle world.

With her wand in hand she peeked through the windows to find her mother staring at the house with a trembling lip. Her beautiful face was red and splotchy from crying, it was obvious that the revelations at the manor deeply hurt the woman and for a moment Hermione felt extremely guilty for once again running away. Without a thought she rushed to the door and threw it open to call out to her mother, her heart clenching painfully at the way she was looking at their muggle home.

"Mum!" Hermione shouted, drawing the petite witch's attention to her standing in the door way, Violet looked confused before taking a tentative step towards her.

"Si-Hermione! Come away from there! It's dangerous!" Violet whispered in fear as she frantically waved for her daughter to come closer.

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously as she hopped down the steps, glancing back at the house in confusion.

"Did the death eaters do that?" Violet asked as she nodded her head to the house behind her, Hermione was perplexed until she took the final steps to stand by her mother and finally saw the devastation her mother was seeing. She had completely forgotten some of the measures she went through the make sure death eaters never touched her childhood home.

"It's an illusion." Hermione whispered with a small sad smile, her child hood home looked to be in ruins. The center of the roof on the two story home was collapsed in, all of the windows had charred, black borders and the door lay in pieces on the porch. She was actually quite proud of her spell work, she spent months researching ways to tie the large scale glamour to the house itself. "Like Hogwarts but it only affects wizards and witches...its not perfect and it took nearly a month to get the wards right."

"How?" Violet gasped, taking a hesitant few steps forward and watching closely as the illusion melted away before her eyes, leaving the home they purchased almost exactly as she remembered. The lawn needed tending and the flowers obviously weren't cared for but somehow she was comforted that the home she shared with her family for the last sixteen years was still standing.

"It's tied to ward stones placed around the property...thankfully it's size is nothing compared to Shafiq Stronghold so I was able to ward it alone." Hermione whispered softly as they made their way into the sitting room illuminated by candle light. It was dusty, without being cared for in nearly a year but Violet managed to ignore that as she made her way to the sofa and sat down heavily.

"It's very impressive, to do all that at only fifteen!" Violet gasped and looked to her daughter for the first time. Her lip trembled as she reached out and forcefully pulled Hermione down onto the couch beside her, keeping her arms wrapped around her slight frame. "I'm so sorry."

"You didn't know...I didn't..." Hermione's voice caught in her throat as her mother lightly traced her fingers down her spine, comforting her.

"Shh..I'm here how, bug." Violet cooed softly into Hermione's hair, effectively breaking down the last of her daughter's resistance. She couldn't help but melt into her mother's comforting embrace, completely exhausted from the last twenty four hours. They stayed silent for a long time, both of them just staring into the candle light before Violet chose to speak first. "I'm sorry that you didn't have the life you were meant to...I thought that we were saving you from a fate th-" she couldn't continue, tears gathered in her eyes and she struggled to stay composed.

"I didn't have a bad life, Mum." Hermione whispered as she sat up and looked to her mother with a small smile. "I still had you and Dad with me...in a way. It's very disorienting, some times the things you say...or the way you move, it's like you're the same people but then..." She sighed sadly, looking away from her mother before she could continue. "You talk like you would just rather forget the last sixteen years or say muggles are beneath you. I can't-"

"I would never trade any of my time with you, muggle or magical." Violet cut her off in a choked whisper, unconsciously tightening her arms around her daughter. "You don't understand...it's like the last sixteen years were a dream that's slowly becoming more clear. When we woke up, we were ourselves and I didn't even know how much time had passed. It took me a few minutes to realize you were my daughter! I know this must be hard for you and I don't want to make it any more difficult...I was just so excited to get back to our lives!"

"But I can't!" Hermione exclaimed, pulling away from her mother with a grimace on her face. "I can't be Sienna Shafiq, I don't know who she is. During school, I was teased and ridiculed for being a muggleborn but I showed them all that it didn't matter how you were raised or what blood flowed in your veins. I worked hard and I helped my best friend take down a madman who wanted to exterminate my kind-"

"But you were never-" Violet tried to interject but Hermione roughly grabbed her mother by the shoulders, silencing her with a harsh glare.

"I was always a muggle raised witch, it doesn't matter what kind of blood I have." Hermione said slowly, meeting her mother's incredulous gaze with her own determined one. "We spent a year on the run, starving and fighting for our lives because we also believed that all witches and wizards have a right to the magical world. You are my parents and even though you don't have the same face, deep down, I believe you are still the same. The ones who taught me that you must never dwell too long in the past but always look towards the future, forgive always but never forget. You brought me to the library and argued with the Mrs. Marowitz for an hour about limiting the books I could read because of something as silly as my age. I will never be like Pansy Parkinson or Daphne Greengrass..."

"What do you expect of us?" Violet asked slowly, confused as to what point her daughter was trying to make while she rambled.

"I want you to accept me for who I am, for who I was raised to be..." Hermione said slowly, licking her lips as she gauged her mother's reaction. "I'll learn all the pureblood traditions you want and probably disagree with them but I will try and keep an open mind. In that, I want you to try and remember that you were a muggle for sixteen years! For almost seventeen years you got by without any magic at all and raised me. If you and Dad want to continue believing that you are inherently better than others just because of their birth...I don't think I can..."

"You would leave us for the way we were raised?" Violet demanded, her heart pounding erratically as she watched her daughter closely. "We don't go out torturing muggles or killing muggleborns! You think you're superior to your own parents for being proud of our heritage?"

"That's just it I don't think I'm sup-" Hermione started but her mother scowled as she shook her head impatiently.

"No, you think you're morally superior!" Violet scoffed, rolling her lovely eyes as she sat up straight, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "You believe that the lessons I was taught by mother, the same lessons she was taught by her mother before her are inherently wrong because you don't know. How could you? What with being muggle raised. Do you think that's what I wanted? For you to be ignorant of our world, prejudice against your own?"

"I'm not!" She exclaimed, flinching away from her mother in surprise. "I unde-"

"No! You don't understand the traditions because who would teach you? The Weasleys? Did Molly Prewett sit you down and explain courting, rituals, your family history?" Violet asked pointedly, looking much calmer now that Hermione was caught unaware. "It's not your fault you don't know these things, it's mine. It doesn't help that we haven't even had the time to actually sit down and talk to you about all these things."

"I said I would learn..." Hermione sighed, rubbing her temples as her mother continued looking at her pointedly. "What more do you want?"

"I want you to accept your place in our world!" Violet said passionately, instantly drawing Hermione up short. Violet barreled on, holding her daughter's hands tightly in her own as she forced Hermione to meet her gaze. "Stop being all morally indignant for just a moment and actually listen to me. You can't tell me you will take lessons and admit that you'll disregard them in the same sentence. There is so much more than you'll ever know if you don't stop limiting yourself. My best friend in school was Dorcas Meadows, she was a half blood that was kept away from the wizarding world. She too thought that the muggle traditions were the only way until my mother practically adopted her. I know sometimes...I maybe be a bit...enthusiastic, especially yesterday when you lifted the memory charm, but what did you expect? I woke up and the muggle my husband was posing as aged forty years!"

"He did not age forty years!" Hermione scoffed, forcing herself to try and absorb her mother's words, especially after hearing that her mother was friends with anyone with less than pureblood.

"Muggles...they don't age well..." Violet sniffed disdainfully, reaching out to cup Hermione's cheeks in her palms. "You need to give us time...and I suppose we will have to get to know one another again. Some thin-"

"Did you tell Dad you were coming here?" Hermione interrupted her abruptly, sitting up straight as she felt the wards ripple around them. Someone apparated directly in the property but there were others probing along the ward lines.

"No, your father was going to ask the Weasleys if they knew where you were." Violet huffed impatiently as she watched her daughter leap from the sofa to peer out the window. "What is it? I thought we were going to talk about this?"

"Someone apparated into the garden and there's people wandering around the boundary line." Hermione hissed as she looked through the blinds, her eyes sharp and her entire body tense as while she scanned the lawn for any sign of danger.

"Relax, it's probably your father and your friends." Violet got up from the couch as well, her brow furrowed with worry dispite her words.

"Mum!" Hermione exclaimed in a hushed tone, moving past her mother towards the dark kitchen with her wand out in front of her. "There's still death eaters out there and you ne-"

"Hermione!" Antonio shouted from the back garden as he approached the ruined house, his knees feeling slightly weak at sight of devastation to the home he raised his daughter in. Violet and Hermione rushed out the door to find the him kneeling down, staring up at the collapsed roof with a heart broken expression on his face.

"It's an illusion, Ant." Violet said soothingly as she wrapped an arm around his waist help him to his feet. Hermione stood back from them in a defensive stance, searching for the others that approached the ward boundaries.

"Did anyone else come with you?" Hermione asked sharply, not even bothering to look at her parents, just stayed with arm's reach so that she could lash out and grab them if they needed to make a quick escape.

"Someone sent a patronus to let me know you received a warning for underage magic in the muggle world." Antonio said slowly, watching his daughter wearily as she motioned them silently to follow her back to the house. "What's wrong?"

"She's been on edge since you arrived." Violet whispered as they followed her back into the house, Hermione immediately made her way back into the living room so that she could look through the front windows. They heard a very familiar, deep voice bellowing incoherently. Antonio strode past his daughter, ignoring her protests to open the front door and step onto the small porch. He didn't not expect to find the minister shouting at the Weasleys and a distraught Harry Potter.

"It's a compulsion charm!" Kingsley shouted out as he grabbed Ron by the shoulders and shook him slightly, the redhead looked close to hysterics.

"They're dead!" Ron bellowed as his knees started to give away underneath him. Hermione sighed as she stepped forward, wondering just how then entire Weasley family and Harry knew where she lived, she supposed Kingsley could have told them.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed impatiently, startling the group as she stepped past the ward line with her parents just behind her. It appeared that Arthur, Kingsley, and Harry seemed to be the only ones who weren't affected by the wards. Ginny, Ron and Molly were nearly hysterical as they mumbled incoherently, George stood off to the side with a slightly glazed look in his eyes.

"What's wrong with them?" Kingsley demanded, his voice deep and booming as he watched Hermione suspiciously. He was taken back at how familiar she looked, the exasperated expression on her face with her hands on her hips and her wand in hand was a pose he associated with the Gryffindor bookworm. He almost laughed but the hysterical redhead under his arm kept him alert.

"It's the wards..." Hermione said hesitantly as she silently waved her arm to invite them into the boundary. There was technically nothing that kept them away, she was not nearly experienced enough to cast anything too dangerously complex.

The Weasleys seemed to relax once they were safely inside the boundaries but they still looked anxious, like they were ready to run at a moment's notice. Ron, being the worst, had to be pulled along with the group. He kept throwing Hermione guilty, longing glances that she studiously ignored. Once they were all in the darkened house, Violet ushered them into the sitting room and started to conjure extra seats so that everyone could sit comfortably. Molly fidgeted in her seat, looking at Hermione as though she would like nothing more than to wrap her up in a nice, comforting hug.

"Why are you all here?" Hermione demanded as soon as they were all seated, she stood defensively next to her parents. She didn't want to deal with Ron at the moment, or any of the many issues for that matter, feeling completely drained.

Many nights when they were on the run, she would dream of finding her parents and relaxing in the muggle world. Her mother would attempt to bake something she found in some random cook book and her father would settle back to tinker with his old watches. Maybe she would take some time away from the magical world and get her a-levels or they could all take a holiday like they did when she was younger. She promised herself that when she got her parents back she would do anything to mend the rift in their relationship that had been steadily growing since the end of her fourth year. The last time she was completely honest with them was when she told them of her plan to capture Rita Skeeter. True, the muggles that raised her weren't completely comfortable with the many adventures she had with her friends but they always encouraged her to do what was right. After the rise of Voldemort, she kept them in the dark about many of their escapades, going so far as to spend as much of her time out of school with the Weasleys or Order headquarters as she possibly could.

"Your father said you ran off and we were obviously concerned...I must say your new look is rather...surprising." Kingsley spoke first, watching Hermione intently. He wasn't the only one, George was openly smirking while Ron stared with his mouth hanging open. Ginny looked at her with concern but there was a hard glint in her eye and the way her nails cut into Harry's arm made Hermione uncomfortable.

"Who knew the Gryffindor Princess looked so delectable in quidditch jerseys?" George leered with a wolfish smile on his face.

"Oh, Hermione!" Antonio gasped as he finally noticed his daughters choice of clothes, the cotton shorts were hidden under the large quidditch jersey and he quickly ripped off his own traveling cloak and wrapped it securely around her shoulders.

"She is quite stunning, isn't she?" Violet beamed proudly from beside Hermione, reaching up to tucking an errant curl behind her ear affectionately.

"Of course, she looks like just you, love." Antonio smirked as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist possessively. Hermione was tense beside her parents, understanding instantly that they did not wish to talk about what happened in front of her friends. They wanted to look like the perfect family and it made Hermione internally seethe. Her friends looked between Hermione her parents with concern but didn't seem to know what to say to her.

"Thank you so much for going out of your way to help us find our daughter." Violet said demurely with a polite smile, her bright eyes swept over the room quickly before she went on. "I'm terribly sorry that there's no tea to offer you, why don't you come by our home sometime this week? Our elves have many specialties, I'm sure we can arrange something."

"That would be lovely but..." Molly started out hesitantly, not taking her eyes off Hermione. As she stood her hands unconsciously reached out to pull the petite witch into a hug but Arthur stopped her. "As long as Hermione is okay..."

"No. Don't you think we should talk about-" Ron started but Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder, instantly silencing him.

"There's nothing I would like to talk about with you, Ronald." Hermione said stiffly, clenching her teeth as she studiously ignored his pleading looks. She turned to her parents and was about to ask if they were ready to go home when her mother's eyes rolled back in her skull and she fell limp against Antonio.

"Violet!" Antonio stumbled slightly as his wife suddenly became dead weight in his arms, he waved his wand over his wife's face in an attempt to revive her but she stayed unconscious.

-0-0-0-

 **I'm very sorry for the delay. I can't believe it's been over a month since my last update. I'll be back with regularish updates again!**


	11. Chapter 11

Minutes after the group arrived at St. Mungos, Antonio collapsed just like his wife. Healers were unable to figure out why the Shafiqs suddenly lapsed into a comatose state, the couple weren't responding to any magical means or potions to wake them. They assumed it had something to do with spells and rituals they cast when the Shafiqs went into hiding but without knowing exactly what Severus Snape and her parents cast all they could do was speculate. Hermione stayed in her parents' room for hours until the healers said all they could do was wait, much to her disbelief. Inside she was fuming, they barely tried anything at all, only a few variations of renneverate and an invigoration draught.

Kingsley made sure that her parents were placed in a private, secure room before he left for the night, exhausted after a very long day. Molly disappeared for moments before returning with a basket filled with baked meat pies. Hot and savory, fresh from the oven, to everyone's bewilderment. Harry gave her a quick hug before leaving with Arthur and Ginny, practically dragging a despondent Ronald Weasley behind them. The curly haired witch refused to respond to the many stuttered excuses the redhead sputtered, too drained and worried for her parents health. It was half two in the morning when Hermione found herself awake with only George still there for company. Molly tried valiantly to stay vigilant so she could offer comfort to Hermione but the redhaired matron fell asleep in a large overstuffed chair with her basket clutched to her chest.

"You don't have to stay..." Hermione started, speaking for the first time in hours. Her mind still reeling from the events since her return from Australia. Was it really only the day before that she was psyching herself up outside her parents cozy home in Australia to return their memories? To her it felt like an eternity. She feared that it was a delayed side effect of the memory charm she cast, it could not be a coincidence that they both lapsed into comas within an hour of each other. "I'm about to head back..." She trailed off, unsure of what to call her parents manor.

"It's fine." George yawned lazily, glancing at his snoring mother with a blank expression. "You're not doing something stupid like blaming yourself, are you?"

"Well, they never suffered from random bouts of comatose before I cast a memory charm on them." Hermione said dryly, dragging her gaze away from her mother's pale face to look at George. It was still unsettling to see him without his usual teasing smirk and mischievous eye twinkle, the death of his twin affected him in ways she couldn't even fathom. It was months he was silent, staring in the mirror for hours at a time with a disturbed frown marring his features.

"They were safe." George shrugged indifferently, as if completely unaffected by what was happening. Granted, she was never exactly close friends with either twin, seeing as she was always considered their little brother's bookworm friend but she still hated the indifference to the world he adopted since the war. "So what's this I hear about our little book worm getting married?"

"What?" Hermione gasped turning to George with wide eyes. Her mind immediately turned turned to Ron but she crushed that thought ruthlessly. She would never marry the boy who fought by her side through the war, not after he decided he would rather pick up witches at the Leaky.

"Your Dad came bursting in to the burrow saying that they were celebrating your betrothal. Please tell me it's Malfoy! That would just be too bloody brilliant." George's lips twitched and for a moment his eyes sparked with the familiar teasing light that's been missing since the war.

"Betrothal?" Hermione croaked, her mind suddenly frozen at the implication. She wondered how her parents could possibly have set about making a betrothal contract before they went into hiding. By the way they told her, her parents had only weeks to organize the entire escape and it was mere days after Professor Snape found the ritual that they were whisked away to the muggle world.

"Miss. Shafiq?" The balding, middle aged healer interrupted Hermione's thoughts. The portly man bustled into the room, not even bothering to look at them, he was so engrossed in his clip board. "Your parents have not responded to any of the standard treatment..."

"Yes..." Hermione drawled, on the edge of losing her patience. He was the fourth healer that came in to tell her the same diagnosis but she was still stuck on the word betrothal. The calculating gleam in Narcissa's eyes and her parents not to subtle pushing towards the blond bigot suddenly seemed to make so much sense.

"And the only major magic they've come into contact with the reversal of a long term memory charm and removal of glamours?" The healer, who didn't even bother to introduce himself, instead just mumbled at his papers as if they weren't even in the room. George seemed to lose his patience first because he rudely put a hand over the healer's clipboard with a scowl.

"She listed all of the magic she witnessed since she retrieved them from Australia." George said tersely, his bright blue eyes flashing impatiently. There was an uncomfortable silence that was only broken by a loud snort from the sleeping Molly.

"Be that as it may, Mr. Weasley..." The healer said tightly through his teeth, "sometimes with trauma there can be a delayed response and it takes family members time to get over the shock."

"What shock?" George snorted, glaring furiously at the healer who had turned back to his notes. "You think Hermione Granger would forget something important like her parents running circles in the dueling circuit?"

"Granger?" The healer finally looked up with wide eyes, his gaze darting between the two with startling intensity. She immediately recognized that look, since the end of the war she became a bit of a celebrity along with Ron. Suddenly, everyone knew their name and wanted to meet them. "Hermione Granger? What does she have to do with this?"

"I'm going to..." Hermione huffed, trailing off uncertainly as she glanced at the still forms of her parents, not wishing to explain that she was in fact Hermione Granger. "My father's office, I'm sure he has some information on the spells they used when they went into hiding."

"Go on before I wake Mum." George waved his hand dismissively, not taking his eyes off the startled healer. "You know she'll just try to force you back to the burrow."

-0-

When Hermione returned back to Shafiq Stronghold, she was bombard by twelve house elves. All of them clamoring for orders on what they should be doing, starved after nearly seventeen years with no masters or mistresses. She recognized Poe as she rushed forward to take Hermione's cloak and whisper instructions to the other elves to bring tea and biscuits.

"Really, Poe, I'm fine." Hermione smiled weakly as the house elf started pulling her towards the sitting room where they had an interview with Rita Skeeter. "I just need to figure out if my father kept any notes of his plans...the spells and rituals they used."

"Where be Master and Mistress?" Poe asked curiously, barely pausing as she gently shoved Hermione onto the comfortable sofa in front of the fire.

"They be- they're at St. Mungo's in some kind of magical coma." Hermione said grumbled, her eyes dropping as another elf popped in beside them with a silver tray filled with savory treats and a monogrammed tea set. Poe wordlessly waved the other elf away before Hermione could even make introductions and served the tea herself.

"Poor Master and Mistress!" Poe cried out with wide, watery eyes, she set the cup of tea in front of Hermione before moving to stand at her side. "Young Mistress not be taking cares of herself."

"I'm fine, Poe." Hermione sighed wearily, her cup inches from her mouth before she paused to look down at the concerned elf at her side. "Really, I need to figure out what's wrong with my parents before I can even think of resting. The healers at St. Mungo's are completely useless. After a few reneverates and a couple pepper up potions, they just give up."

"Relax, young Mistress!" Poe said soothingly, reaching up to push the hand holding her tea towards Hermione's mouth. "Poe be fixing everything, you must rest."

"Poe, re-" Hermione only took one small sip from her cup before her world went dark.

-0-

"Up!" Narcissa's voice cut through Draco's sleep fogged brain. The blond sat up slowly to find his mother throwing open the heavy curtains, flooding his room with bright sunlight.

"Mother." Draco acknowledged her in a gruff tone, his voice still heavy with sleep, before throwing himself back into his plush bed and pulling a down pillow over his face.

"No, my dragon!" Narcissa sang, stealing the pillow away from his grappling hands. She swiftly yanked up the heavy blankets, exposing his naked body to the cool morning air. "Honestly, Draco! I have purchased you perfectly adequate night shirts. Why do you insist sleeping in the nude like an animal?"

"Mother!" Draco, now wide awake, cried out as he snatched the blankets from his mother's grasp and wrapped them tightly around his waist. Internally he shuddered thinking of the old fashioned night clothes his mother insisted on buying. He recalled first year when all the other boys were wearing comfortable looking cotton pants and he emerged the showers in a long fleece shirt. The teasing went well into his fourth year, much to his embarrassment.

"I hope you will accustom yourself to wearing your pajamas before the wedding, I doubt very much that your wife would appreciate sharing a bed with a beast." Narcissa sniffed as she pointedly looked away from her son while he pulled on a pair of trousers.

"Please, my wife will love what a beast I can be." Draco mumbled under his breath before the events of last night came back to him with startling clarity. He turned to his mother skeptically, wondering if his parents already broke the betrothal agreement and miraculously found another acceptable witch. "Did you find someone else already?"

"Of course not, you will marry Miss. Shafiq." Narcissa stated in a clipped tone that brokered no argument. "I will be going to the stronghold soon so that I can personally apologize for the brutality their daughter suffered in our home. Your father drank himself into a stupor last night so even if he could leave the manor he would be of no help. While I'm there I'm going to try and see if I can find out...Hermione's plans for the day. You will coincidentally bump into her so that you can apologize for your atrocious behavior."

"Mother-" Draco started, guilt and doubt weighing him down. Sienna Shafiq was always like a fairy tale to him. The beautiful pureblood princess that would be clever, cunning, and ambitious, she would be the powerful life partner he needed. When he first saw the petite witch he would freely admit she was stunning, a bit timid but now he realized why. To find out his betrothed was hidden right beneath his nose for years at Hogwarts gave him a headache. Only for the witch to be Hermione Granger, of all the girls he went to school with. "She despises me."

-0-

It felt like Hermione only closed her eyes for a moment when she felt someone shaking her gently. "Mistress." The soft voice whispered in her ear and in an instant she sat up straight, scrambling for her wand.

"Poe, where's my wand?" Hermione asked in a panic as she realized it was not safely nestled beneath her pillow. The house elf shuffled her feet, looking guilty before exposing the wand she had behind her back.

"Mistress be needing rest." Poe looked incredibly nervous as Hermione snatched the wand from her hands.

"Did you..." Hermione blinked owlishly, feeling much more relaxed now that the familiar piece of vine wood was in her hands. Slowly her eyes narrowed as she turned back to Poe. "Do you drug me?!"

Poe paused for a moment, her thin lips pursed as she studied her mistress closely. When it became clear that she was not going to be punished, her shoulders straightened and she held her head high. "Mistress be needing rest." She repeated slowly, with little patience, as if speaking to a small child.

"You drugged me!" Hermione shrieked slightly hysterical as she vividly recalled her parents' still forms. She never even got the opportunity to search her father's office before being drugged by a house elf. "I didn't eve-"

"Mistress." Poe cut Hermione off before she could say anymore in a firm tone the curly haired witch never heard a house elf use before. "Poe be sending Twain and Bachman to find the papers Master be putting away for safe keeping."

"Are you..." Hermione trailed off uncertainly as Poe turned away from her to pull clothing from the large wardrobe.

"Bachman be finding the box Misters Sev...Severus be leaving for safe keeping." Poe stumbled slightly on the Professor Snape's name but didn't falter in her task to find whatever garment she was searching for. It didn't take her long to produce a light blue summer dress with matching robe which she held out to Hermione expectantly before she continued. "Mistress not be needing to worry, Master and Mistress has good elves. Missy Cissi be downstairs."

"Cissi..." Hermione froze, her wide eyes staring at the house elf incredulously. "As in Narcissa Malfoy?!"

"Yes, Missy Cissi be very upset that Master and Mistress not be here." Poe nodded enthusiastically as she waved her hand impatiently for Hermione to finish dressing. "Missy Cissi say she be needing to speaks with little Mistress."

"Why would she need to speak to me?" Hermione wondered aloud after she finished pulling the soft material over head, grimacing as she caught sight of her reflection. Poe didn't answer, just shoved her into the padded chair so that she could pour delicious smelling potions into her hair.

"Miss. Shafiq." Narcissa smiled warmly as Hermione entered the room once Poe declared her suitably appropriate for company.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Hermione said stiffly, forcefully reminding herself that it was because of the woman in front of her that Harry made it out of the Forbidden Forest. Even though she didn't particularly like any of the Malfoys, Narcissa she had only seen in passing. After attending school with her son for six years and going against her husband in battle, Hermione wasn't exactly optimistic about the woman's character.

"I've come to apologize..." Narcissa sighed sadly, looking down at the smart leather hang bag in her lap, her elegant fingers unconsciously clutching the straps before turning back to Hermione. "I planned before to contact you...about what happened at the manor. However, your friend...Mr. Potter ignored my owls."

"You didn't do anything." Hermione whispered half heartedly, her statement hanging in the air between them heavily. To anyone else it would seem to be a dismissal but they both knew it was anything but.

Narcissa clicked her tongue before reaching into her bag and pulling out a round glass jar wrapped in an emerald green ribbon. "The blade Bella used was enchanted by our Aunt Cassiopeia, she gifted each of us one when we came of age." She paused a moment as she pushed the jar towards Hermione. "It was meant for self defense, Aunt Cassi never trusted wizards...her first and only husband died peacefully in his sleep on their wedding night. The knives were meant to mark an attacker so that he could be identified later."

"Okay..." Hermione said slowly, not reaching out to accept the jar. At a glance she could see that it was obviously magical. The cream inside was a light blue with moving sparkling swirls.

"Well obviously there were accidents when Uncle Alphred tried to teach us how to properly use them, so Andi-Andromeda made a salve that would...remove the dark magic from the scars." Narcissa breathed out impatiently, tucking her folded hands into her lap. "I had to brew some when Bella came back to the manor one night with her knife...apparently Draco was not making progress fast enough in his...task."

"She used that on her own nephew?" Hermione couldn't help but gasp, covering her mouth as Narcissa's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I don't think you quite comprehend what the last four years have been like in the manor." Narcissa drawled coolly, lifting her nose in the air daintily. "The Dark Lord was in our home, my husband invited him to use our ancestral home and he turned it into his own den of debauchery. Werewolves, vampires, and the very dregs of the wizarding world used our tapestry room as a..."

"I'm sorry." Hermione said automatically when the older witch stopped, unable to explain further. Not that she was very sympathetic, they chose their side when they invited a reincarnated Tom Riddle into their home.

Narcissa was silent for a few moments while she stirred her tea idly, picking up a muffin and studied the curly haired witch. Hermione looked just like her mother at her age, a little thinner from her days on the run but it seemed she had a healthy glow to her cheeks. "Draco has not had an easy time of it since his trial, well, since his return really...you did testify for him and I know with the right guidance he could be an exemplary wizard."

"Is he...are we?" Hermione stumbled slightly, unable to form coherent thought. It seemed that after the word 'betrothal' her mind just shut down and refused to process anything further.

Narcissa's lips twitched and she raised a superior brow before taking a sip from her tea. "Yes, I assumed your parents informed you of the agreement between our families before dinner. Unfortunately, we were unaware of your previous identity."

"So...I'm betrothed to Malfoy?" Hermione said slowly, letting out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding.

"Your mother and I always talked of matching our children...I was much closer to Violet than my own sisters. They were older than me so while they were courted and spent time with friends, Violet and I used to sit around planning out the wedding of my daughter and her son." Narcissa said softly, her eyes growing distant as a small smile bloomed on her face. "Obviously, we got it a little backwards but I'm sure you and Draco will make a wonderful match."

"Your son hates me." Hermione said bluntly, her lips curling into a disgusted sneer and she was barely able to suppress a shudder of revulsion. She could not believe her parents would do something as archaic as arranging her marriage.

"My son views Sienna Shafiq as a pureblood princess, perfect for him in every way and Hermione Granger as the girl he teased in school yet still testified for him in front of the Wizengamot." Narcissa snapped sharply, her icy eyes narrowed as she set her tea cup down on its saucer with more force than necessary. "The contract is magically binding so I would suggest you accept the inevitable."


	12. Chapter 12

There was a tense silence that fell between the witches after Narcissa's bold statement, she almost regretted her bluntness. Hermione had a far away look in her eye, weighing her options carefully. She could pull her wand and hex the woman out of her parents' home and proceed to tear her father's office apart to hopefully find a copy of this contract. That made her pause, was the agreement written up? Did they have lawyers draw up paperwork for them to sign? She had to force herself to remember that with magic it wasn't necessary. After All, wasn't Harry entered into the tournament with only a forged signature? No, her parents would need something binding to keep her safe from he dark wizard that still terrified her mother. Taking a deep breath she decided she would keep her temper in check as she turned to meet Narcissa's concerned gaze.

"What do you mean magically binding?" Hermione asked wearily, letting out a long suffering sigh. Narcissa immediately adopted an indifferent expression and just waved her hand airily as if to say 'what other kinds of magical contracts that bind you to the boy who teased her mercilessly for years are there?'

"Oh, you mean specifics?" Narcissa asked innocently, her grey eyes widening in surprise as Hermione clenched her teeth angrily.

"Yes, specifics so that I can break the contract." Hermione snapped harshly, gripping her delicate cup so tightly Poe hovered nearby in fear that it might just crack. She took a deep breath to reign in her temper as she set the cup down on its saucer with deliberate care.

"Oh, well..." The elder witch sighed dramatically, not at all put off by Hermione's words. "There are of course many stipulations...there's the basic clauses, the wedding won't take place until after you're finished your schooling since you're the younger of the match. By binding, it means just that. Binding. Due to the circumstances at the time, we wanted to ensure that Thoros couldn't find any loopholes, tie himself to you using dark magic. It's quite possible and the Notts are not unfamiliar with a bit of handy blood magic. The agreement is very different from my own but well it was technically between our families after Cedrella ran off with a Weasley..." Narcissa paused, a pinched expression on her face as she took a sip of her tea. "However, the Fawley's are known for compiling the most complex agreements, very little wiggle room. The ceremony will be the old vows, I don't think the Malfoys have used them in generations...they never were careful in their matches. The Blacks have a long standing of using the old ceremonies, I was qui-"

"What exactly are the 'old ceremonies'?" Hermione cut off Narcissa, her face pale as she recalled some of the ancient tomes she found in Grimmauld Library about marriage rituals. Blood magic and tethering the magical cores were two of the most popular.

"Oh, it's ever so romantic." Narcissa sighed wistfully, not at all disturbed by the interruption. "I remember your parents' ceremony, it was beautiful. They tied their very essences together for all eternity. Speaking of...where's your mother? I was hoping I could speak to her about last night and apologize for not recognizing the child I swore to protect. I really do feel just awful, to think the little girl I held in my arms when she was only hours old was brutalized in my own home...by my sister. I'm just so very sorry, Hermione."

Hermione was silent for a long moment as she stared at Narcissa in shock, not expecting the proud pureblood to give such a heart felt apology. All she could do was nod numbly, averting her gaze when she saw tears in the older witch's eyes. "She's in St. Mungo's with my father." Hermione whispered once she regained her composure, her shoulders hunched as tried to process all of the information that was offered to her.

"St. Mungos?" Narcissa hissed urgently, forgetting herself entirely as she grabbed onto Hermione's hand, forcing the curly haired witch to look up.

"They both collapsed...the healers don't know what's wrong but they didn't really try much." Hermione grumbled bitterly, her chest feeling tight as the guilt settled in. She was so distracted by her visit with Narcissa that she didn't even get the papers from Bachman.

"Is it because of..." Narcissa trailed off hesitantly, not really wishing to cause the girl anymore distress. She couldn't help but forget herself a little when she looked at Hermione, the young witch just looked so much like her mother.

"They don't know, I think it's from reversing both memory charms on them but..." Hermione paused unsure if she should continue, voice her fears that it was because of her own magic that her parents were comatose.

"I wasn't able to get much out of Lucius..." Narcissa offered hesitantly, still clutching the petite witch's hand in her own. "What rituals did they actually use? Apparently after my husband contacted Severus they stopped telling him anything in fear that it would endanger us further. I saw you with your parents on the platform a few times but well...it's not like they could use polyjuice potion for almost seventeen years."

"That's just it, I don't know." Hermione sighed miserably, feeling thrown off at how comforting it was to have the older witch at her side. "The memory charm I used suppressed their already modified psyche so when I cast the counter spell it seemed to also nullify whatever Professor Snape did. I was going to try and find any notes my parents may have left before but... I was drugged by a house elf."

Hermione hung her head and let out quiet groan, suddenly embarrassed that she rambled in front of the refined Narcissa Malfoy. She sputtered in disbelief as she felt the older witch move to sit beside her and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Did you think to speak to Severus's portrait? It hangs with the other headmasters of Hogwarts in Minerva McGonagall's office. I've tried many times to convince Draco to speak to him, alleviate some of the guilt that's been weighing him down since the end of his sixth year."

-0-

Hermione did make a short appearance at St. Mungo's before heading off to Hogwarts. The medi witch gushed for nearly twenty minutes about how foolish Healer Spenwyck felt that he dismissed THE Hermione Granger because he was on a forty eight hour rotation and never saw the Prophet. Her parents were still unconscious and it made her heart beat falter as she looked at their pallid faces. Even when they were disguised as muggles they were always very expressive people and her parents seemed to become even more so in the short time she had seen them with their true identifies.

"Miss. Granger?" A very familiar voice stopped Hermione in her tracks, the petite witch looked up to find herself face to face with her favorite professor. Minerva McGonagall looked down at her with look torn between astonishment and concern. "Hermione, is that really you?"

"Hello, Headmistress." Hermione smiled tentatively, fidgeting under the older witch's critical gaze.

"Well, you certainly are the spitting image of your mother." Professor McGonagall breathed in wonder, a small smile blooming on her wrinkled face as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I do believe I told you to call me, Minerva."

"Sorry, Pro-Minerva." Hermione sighed sheepishly, blood warming her cheeks as she averted her eyes towards the school gates. The repairs, it seemed, were nowhere near complete as she gazed at the rubble still lying on the ground. In the distance she could see scores of wizards with their wands out, repairing sections of the courtyard.

"Unfortunately, we will not be opening our doors in September." Minerva sighed sadly before linking her arm with the petite witch at her side and leading them across the front lawns. "Although, I wouldn't be seeing you with Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley even if we did." She continued reproachfully, keeping her gaze focused ahead of them.

"Of course I would have come back!" Hermione gasped, looking up at her favorite professor in confusion. "NEWTs are very important and I know The Prophet has been running some ridiculous story about me running the DCRMC or the DMLE or some such rot but I wouldn't want a position I didn't earn. Although, the minister has offered Ron, Harry, and myself positions in the auror training program, I think my days of chasing dark wizards are over."

"But-" Minerva closed her mouth as she noticed a group of young men that stopped repairing the wall of Ravenclaw tower to stare. Her mouth set into a harsh line and her eyes narrowed, making the wizards flinch away from her and immediately turn back to their work. "Kingsley informed me that you, along with Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, have already been awarded your NEWTs and are considered fully trained witch and wizards."

"This is the first I'm hearing of anything like that." Hermione frowned, thinking back to her last conversation with the minister before leaving to find her parents. It was nothing of consequence, she informed him that she would need to go to Australia and wanted his advice on dealing with their ministry if any problems arose. "I was planning to take my NEWTs at the ministry if Hogwarts didn't open in September."

"Well, that is very good to hear." Minerva smiled brightly at her favorite student as they came to the stone gargoyle that guarded her office. Internally she felt herself sag with relief that the new found fame and sudden identity change did not affect the Gryffindor bookworm too drastically. "Woollongong Shimmy."

"What?" Hermione let out an indelicate snort as the gargoyle came to life and sprang out of the way. A spiral staircase came into view and as soon as they were both standing on the stone steps they began to move upward.

"Quidditch." Minerva couldn't help but smile at Hermione's confusion. She lead them into the office and offered her the seat in front of the large desk. Most of the portraits feigned sleep, even Dumbledore let out an unconvincing snore. "How are you dealing with everything?"

"Fine, I suppose." Hermione hedged as she looked around at all the portraits, her gaze finally falling on the man she came to speak to. The dour potions professor openly sneered, looking her from head to toe with glittering obsidian eyes. "Bit getting used to, finding out that your entire identity is a lie."

"While I know The Prophet has been known to speculate-" Minerva started, closing her eyes briefly in frustration when Severus Snape's portrait rudely snorted. After clearing her throat she continued with her hands resting folded on her desk. "The article was surprisingly well written and quite sympathetic, Miss. Skeeter didn't even include her usual speculations about your society climbing ways."

"Yes, well..." Hermione grimaced slightly under the headmistress's probing stare. "My mother read over the article before it was published..."

"Of course Violet would have demanded the article be written to her specifications." Severus Snape mumbled, not bothering to lower his voice at all.

"Severus!" Minerva snapped harshly, glaring at the portrait with her teeth bared. "Hold your tongue! I won't deal with your snark this early in the day!"

"Please, Hea-Minerva..." Hermione cut off whatever the potion master was about to say as she leaned forward, watching the portrait with interest. "I actually came to speak with Professor Snape."

"Oh?" Severus Snape drawled slowly, averting his gaze to study his nails with a disinterested look on his face. "And what does the insufferable know-it-all need with me?"

"I need to ask if you know why my parents lapsed into a coma a little over twenty four hours after their memories were restored." Hermione stated bluntly, pulling a red file from her bag and slapping it on the headmistress's desk. She read through it briefly, made notes and handed off most of it to the medi witch to pass on to the healers at St. Mungos. Honestly, she didn't understand most of what was written but she was able to keep any mention of what was done to the real Grangers out of the information she passed to the healers. She hoped that it wasn't relevant, what they did was considered muggle baiting and highly illegal.

"I was curious how you managed to not only find them but restore their identities. As far as I was aware, the Dark Lord sent half a dozen men to capture the infamous muggles that produced the Potter's brain." Professor Snape said idly, tossing his inky black hair over his shoulder, the very picture of nonchalance.

"Well, I sent them to Australia and when I found them I just performed the counter spell...the next thing I know they are removing their glamours and asking for you." Hermione said slowly, growing impatient with the portrait's attitude. It was so like the snarky potions master that it made Hermione's heart clench painfully. Thinking back to the night of the battle, watching him die...she shook her head, trying to dislodge such thoughts.

"The spells I used would have needed more than a simple finite incantatem." Severus sneered as he finally looked at the petite witch with disdain. "Their memories were expertly suppressed and the muggle's life memories were implanted over them."

"It wasn't a finite incantatem..." Hermione scoffed, thinking back to the months she researched the perfect spells to hide her parents from death eaters. "I also suppressed their memories, making them forget they ever had a daughter and then I cast a compulsion charm. They had a sudden need to pack up everything important a live out their life long ambition to relocate to Australia."

"I'm guessing they managed to pack away the box?" Severus asked smugly, sitting back in a high wing back chair that was painted into his portrait. "I would say I'm impressed you were able to find anything that would counteract any of the spells I cast but when one lives through books."

Hermione bristled at that, her bright eyes narrowing dangerously as she ground her teeth. Her thoughts were suddenly brought back to the emergency portkey Poe told her they took back to the Stronghold. There was always a box sitting on the mantel of their home. A plain wooden box that she remembered trying to open when she was a small child. Her parents seemed perplexed by it but after just a few moments of examining it, the box was placed back on the mantel and she never thought of it again.

"Severus!" Minerva sighed impatiently, rubbing her temples as she looked to the sneering portrait. "Must you?"

"Fine." Severus scoffed, rolling his dark eyes to the top of his portrait before turning back to Hermione. "Your parents are...assimilating. They had their original personalities and memories partially suppressed for nearly seventeen years. The same thing happened when I first cast the spell. Now, if that's all...I believe Salazar found a nice view of the reconstruction of the potions lab."

Hermione jumped to her feet as the former headmaster started to slink away from his frame. "Wait!" She called out hurriedly, stopping his departure. "What do you mean partially suppressed? What spell did you cast? How long will they sleep? The long term gl-"

"Enough!" Severus cut her off with a glare and he held up his hand for silence. "Honestly, I had hoped that your incessant nattering was only a side effect of your life growing up as a muggle but you seemed to have inherited it from my cousin-"

"Severus!" Minerva snapped, slapping her hand down on her desk to draw his attention away from Hermione. "You will answer her questions."

After letting out a long suffering sigh he turned around and sat down heavily in his chair, glaring at the witches. "By partially suppressed, I mean just that. With the spells used, they needed their own personalities to supplement the Grangers. I modified the enchantment used on portraits, making a copy of the lives and memories of the Grangers to implant in my cousin and his wife. They will be unconscious for around forty eight hours, after that they will have successfully retained all the memories of their original lives and the Grangers. If that is all?"

"We're related?" Hermione gasped in surprise, her eyes wide and mouth dropping into a perfect 'O'. She supposed she could see some similarities between her father and the dour potions professor; their pin straight, inky black hair and the bright, glittering black eyes were the most prominent.

"Yes, his mother was my mother's sister." Severus stated shortly, turning away from the witches to stalk from the portrait before the headmistress could call him back.


	13. Chapter 13

To say Draco Malfoy was an impatient wizard would be an understatement, he loathed to be kept waiting. His mother returned to the manor with a sad smile because apparently the Shafiqs were whisked off to St. Mungos after the disaster of a reunion the night before. Although Narcissa felt optimistic that his betrothed would come around, Draco did not share the sentiment. However he did heed his mother's advice to wait for her at St. Mungo's. For six years he went out of his way to try and ensure Granger knew her place in the world, back with the muggles. How did she repay his effort? By beating him in every bloody class and never cowing to his words. Even Weasley and Potter were affected by his perfectly executed taunts but never her. She must have felt so smug when she found out she was a pureblood.

When he was young, his mother would tell him about his betrothed, well her family mostly and speculate what she would be like. She didn't have a name for years, not until he pestered his mother around third year. He didn't understand why he was different from the other pureblood children that didn't get matched until they were older but he just assumed it was because he was special. And so was she. Draco still didn't have all the details of the mysterious disappearance of his betrothed's family, much to his frustration. His mother showed him the only picture of himself with her, she was brand new and still pink, unruly raven curls sprouting from beneath the knitted blanket. In the moving photograph, the blond toddler excitedly babbled to the wide eyed infant, patting her cheeks lightly with his cubby hands. Narcissa would coo that he had loved her from the moment they met and that they were destined for each other.

Narcissa explained that he would be lucky enough to have a marriage very unlike her own. He realized from a young age that he was a product of a poorly matched arranged marriage, unlike Pansy's parents who were sickeningly besotted with each other it was obvious his mother and father barely tolerated eachother's presence. Now, he finally got to meet the witch who filled so many pleasant dreams and she ended up being Granger. Somehow, according to the original marriage contract, he could fall in love with her and it was possible for them to have a happy, fulfilling marriage. Not that he really knew what that meant, he assumed his mother based her theories off her own parents. Lucius has some twisted ideals about how the world worked, Draco assumed it would be safe to say if he did the exact opposite of his father he might be a decent person one day.

"Ron? What are you doing here?" A very familiar voice broke him away from his thoughts. He was amazed how invisible he had become since the end of the war. It was better, he supposed, than having them sneer and spit at him but he still wasn't used to the indifference. He was a Malfoy, after all.

"Waiting on 'Mione." The lanky ginger mumbled uncomfortably as he was stared down by his best friend. Harry Potter threw him an obviously unimpressed look before sitting down beside him, only seats away from where Draco himself sat.

"I don't think she wants to talk you right now." Harry said gently, his green eyes watching his hot tempered friend wearily. Draco internally perked up at that, making sure he kept his back to the duo he sat up straighter and leaned towards them, feigning interest in the paper.

"I just need to explain." Ronald Weasley stated testily, his ears turning a dangerous shade of red as he looked away from his friend, towards the sterile white double doors. "She thinks I cheated on her but I didn't."

"She's got enough to deal with right now, Ron. With her parents and this whole new identity thing. I'm sure once things settle down and the Shafiqs wake up she'll come find you." Harry explained patiently, glancing around quickly to make sure they weren't overheard. Draco raised The Prophet a bit more, making sure to hide himself completely behind it.

"You think that whole thing is real?" Ron asked slowly, turning back to Harry with a concerned frown on his face. "I mean, isn't it a bit of a coincidence that right after she helps defeat You-Know-Who she comes back with a whole new face and family. Then she breaks up with me and has some pure arranged marriage?"

"What are you trying to say, Ron?" Harry hissed, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he regarded his best mate.

Ron didn't seem to notice Harry's defensive tone because he glanced back at the doors again before turning his attention back to him. "Well, how could she not have known she was a pureblood this whole time? She's bloody brilliant but she doesn't realize that she has some kind of glamour all these years? That her muggle parents are both actually death eaters?"

"You think she lied to us? For seven years?" Harry drawled slowly, his tone portraying how ridiculous he found Ron's theory. "Are you daft? While you were down at the Leaky, me and Gin were the ones consoling her because she just found out her entire life had been a lie. Her parents were ordered by Voldemort-" he studiously ignored the fact that his friend flinched, barreling on as his temper rose. "to hand over their child to some death eater! Apparently Lucius Malfoy, of all people, overheard some pervert talking about using blood magic on Hermione as a newborn! If she had any inclination at all that she wasn't Hermione Granger, she would have told us."

"Well, then how do you know if it even is 'Mione?" Ron snapped harshly, recoiling from the venom in Harry words. "What if the Shafiqs found 'Mione and her parents in Australia and thought it was the perfect opportunity to come back to England? They wouldn't even need polyjuice or anything, everyone has just swall-"

"Ron!" Harry whispered urgently, grabbing the redhead by the arm to try and quiet his rant. He looked around the nearly empty waiting room again before leaning closer. "She knew things only Hermione would know. We've used polyjuice potion and glamours but we could still recognize each other. It is her, Ron. She's the one who found you at the Leaky and witnessed first hand the way you've been chattin' up birds."

Ron slumped down in his seat, his shoulders sagging in defeat as he stared down at his hands. "Did you see The Prophet this morning? They're talking about her as if she's this brand new witch, some lost princess that came back and saved the wizarding world. The gossip section was filled with predictions about who will be stepping up to court her. Nott, Malfoy, Pucey, even bloody Macmillan! Death eaters and Hufflepuffs but not her boyfriend! Even bloody Skeeter is speculating that is was all an elaborate plan to take down You-Know-Who or something."

"She'll hate that." Harry chuckled, thinking back to Hermione's many rants of how ridiculous her new found fame was, how annoyed she was by the constant attention. He suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for his best mate. While he was firmly believed that Ron was wrong in what he did to Hermione, he couldn't help but understand somewhat. Even after the war, Ron still had issues with self esteem and it showed when he had to stand beside Harry and Hermione. "You buggered up, mate, but...'Mione is one of the most forgiving witches alive."

"Harry? Ron?" The witch in question's entrance interrupted whatever Ron was about to say. A disturbed frown marred her porcelain features as she walked up to the duo. Her mother's robes fit her body like a glove and not for the first time she wished that she could find her beloved beaded bag that held all her muggle clothes. The gob smacked and slightly reverent expression on Ron's face that would have sent her heart racing just a week ago now made her skin crawl. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We just wanted to check up on you." Harry spoke first, jabbing Ron in the side with his elbow to keep the redhead quiet. The curly haired witch had dark rings below her eyes from stress and he had to stop himself from reaching out to comfort her. "I don't have floo access to...your parent's house."

"Oh, well, we haven't really had the chance to alter the wards I suppose...unless they took care of it while I was visiting you or the burrow." Hermione said crisply, the fact that she did not mention the altercation with Ron was not lost on either of the Wizards. Shifting uncomfortably, she patted the heavy folder under her arm, detailed notes she retrieved from Severus Snape's home after her she and the headmistress gave up on trying to track down the wizard. There were hundreds if not thousands of portraits hanging in the halls of Hogwarts and even more were locked away in empty classrooms while the teams finished the repairs. "I was able to get some more information on the spells Professor Snape cast and I just need to give these over to the head healer. Well, I'll ju-"

"'Mione, can we talk?" Ron blurted out, lurching forward out of his seat and towering over the petite witch. She glanced around the waiting room uncomfortably, a shock of white blond hair caught her attention, the wizard quickly pulled up his hood and settled back into his seat. Before she could say anything her field of vision was blocked by Harry who stood calmly beside Ron.

"How about I take those files, give you two a moment to...catch up." Harry said smoothly, holding out his hand expectantly for the packet held tightly under Hermione's arm.

"I just-" Hermione started but her mouth snapped closed at the pleading expression on her best friend's face. With a sigh she handed the papers over to him before she continued. "According to Professor Snape, they should wake sometime tomorrow with clearer mental facilities."

"What does the gr-" Ron spouted out hotly before Harry could elbow him in the stomach, making the redhead double over slightly.

"This shouldn't take long." Harry plastered a strained but cheery smile on his face as he slapped the files against his free hand. He looked between Hermione and Ron, nodding encouragingly at the latter before he turned around and disappeared through the white double doors.

There was a tense moment of silence as Ron and Hermione stood awkwardly staring anywhere but each other. Ron opened his mouth a couple times to try and voice his thoughts but as soon as he met her gaze, his words dried in his throat. She lost her patience first and huffed, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "I have the feeling you didn't come here to stare or inquire about my parents health. What do you need to say, Ronald? You didn't mean to hurt me by moving on too soon? You had that well and sorted."

"You don't understand-" Ron started to reach out to his best friend of several years but she jerked away from him.

"I do understand." Hermione snapped angrily, struggling to keep her temper in check. "I wasn't even gone a week before you started picking up slags at the Leaky. How dense are you, exactly? The Prophet picked it up right away and then your sister of all people catch you with Romilda?! Romilda Vane?! The girl who tried to potion Harry back in school! Honestly, if you had even the littlest bit of sense you would have gone to the muggle world where no one knows you. Even Knockturn Alley would have been better fo-"

"Are you seriously trying to give me advice on not getting caught?" Ron cut her off incredulously, his blue eyes wide with shock.

"No, just pointing out that you're a ruddy imbecile who can't even properly get away with a quick shag without the entire wizarding world finding out." She quipped, her pouty lips twisted into a disgusted sneer as she took another step away from him.

"I didn't shag any of them!" Ron exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of the entire waiting room. Even those who were attempting to act nonchalant in the face of the golden couple arguing stopped bothering to hide the fact that they were listening with rapt attention. "Which is more than I can say for you! Krum, Mclaggen, Harry! Who knows how many others when you were staying in the muggle world! Let's not forget your bloody betrothed! How does he feel about you out shagging everyone while hiding as a muggleborn?"

Hermione glared furiously up at her one time best friend and boyfriend, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. There was that word again, betrothed. She was very aware of the captivated audience they had, coupling that with the truth about her parents and their sudden medical issues made something in side her snap. Roughly, she shoved the redhead away from her and pulled her wand, with a flick of her wrist a blue translucent shield erected around them. Ron swallowed audibly, recognizing the privacy barrier that she tried to teach him in fifth year.

"It just so happens, Ronald Billius Weasley, I'm still a virgin. Just like I told you when we decided to become a couple. Remember how relieved you were that I didn't have any experience either." Hermione hissed venomously, drawing out the word 'either' slowly. Ron's face lost all color and he tried to sit up in his seat but she saved him back down with the tip of her wand. She continued on, a small mean smile blooming on her face. "Then again, I heard many stories of your first time from Lavender. It was so lovely-"

"'Mione, I-" Ron hissed reaching out to latch onto her wrists but Hermione jerked away and continued on in a simpering falsetto that matched the late Lavender Brown's voice perfectly.

"It was so romantic." Hermione raised her hand to rest on her cheek, her bright eyes looking off into the distance dreamily. "Won-Won didn't know what to do with his hands so I had to help him along. I made him so excited he came-"

"Hermione, that's enough!" Ron shouted, his voice sounding strained and uncommonly high pitched as he pulled his wand. For a moment she worried that he was going to curse her but instead he reached out and grabbed onto her shoulders tightly, pulling her into his chest. "Listen, I love you. I just panicked thinking that I wouldn't be enough for yo-"

"Ron, I think you should go." Hermione hissed, squirming in his arms to try and free herself. His fingers were gripping her flesh so tightly she was sure they would leave bruises in their wake. Suddenly, she was released. One moment she was struggling against one of her oldest friends and the next moment Ron was flat on his back while she was pressed snugly against another hard body. Turning slowly, her eyes widened dramatically when she saw Draco Malfoy towering over her, the most menacing glare she'd ever seen distorting his pointed features. She was surprised to find it wasn't directed at her but at the redhead holding his bloody nose on the floor.

"Weasley." Draco snarled through gritted teeth, his arms wrapped securely around the frozen witch's waist as he glared down at the shocked wizard on the floor. "The next time you lay a hand on my intended, I will remove each of your extremities...slowly."

"Malf-" Hermione gasped, finally finding her voice as she pulled herself away from the blond wizard. He made an impatient noise in the back of his throat while he moved his arm from around her waist to her shoulders. Draco took a step forward and angled his body so he stood between the two.

"Do you understand, Weasley?" Draco snapped when the redhead didn't answer fast enough, Ron just looked blankly between the man he'd hated since he could walk and the witch he loved, even if she had a new face.

"So, it's true then?" Ron said in a hollow voice as he got to his feet, his blue eyes blazing with betrayal and jealousy.

"Weasley!" Draco snapped his fingers impatiently in Ron's bright red face, drawing his gaze away from the struggling witch behind him.

"Malfoy, what do you think you're doing?" Hermione demanded, batting away the arm that was keeping her behind him.

"I thought that was pretty obvious, love." Draco drawled, his grey eyes glittering cruelly as Ron's face crumbled at the term of endearment.

"I am not your 'love', I'm not your anything and I would appreciate it if you would lower your wand." Hermione snarled, finally pushing Draco's arm down and she took a step away from both wizards. "My parents are both in a magically induced coma, I just found out that my entire identity is stolen, and I'm related to the most hated Hogwarts professor ever. That's actually quite an accomplishment considering I've been taught by death eaters, Umbridge, and even something like one eighth Voldemort. So, if you could please temper your testosterone while I deal with more pressing matters that would be brilliantly bloody fantastic."

"'Mione, you can't really be thinking of marrying this git!" Ron exclaimed, his voice rough and strained as he looked at her desperately.

Hermione was just about to assure him that of course she wouldn't marry Malfoy of all people when the blond in question raised his arm and cut her off tersely. "How about we take this somewhere private? The waiting room of St. Mungos is not the proper venue for this conversation." He turned to look pointedly at Hermione and she ducked her head to hide her glowing cheeks, suddenly remembering where they were.


	14. Chapter 14

It didn't take much for one of the medi-witches to allow the trio access to one of the on-call rooms. Draco flashed a benign smile as he slipped the elder matron some gold while Hermione looked on with a disapproving scowl. She stood stiffly against the wall, her arms cradling her torso protectively as she looked between the two wizards wearily. Draco made himself comfortable on the bed closest to her, going so far as to put his feet up and recline with his arms folded behind his head. Ron kept his distance as he paced in front of a large window, a deep scowl on his face, he was the one to break the tense silence.

"So?" Ron blurted out angrily, his blue eyes burning with betrayal as he regarded Hermione shrewdly. "Does he really need to be here?"

"Considering the fact that she's my intended, yes I do need to be here." Draco drawled arrogantly, keeping his eyes focused on the redhead. "Your mother was a Prewitt, not like she was a thieving blood traitor from birth. I'm sure she told you all about traditional courtships."

"Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed, barely stopping herself from reaching out and slapping a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.

"So you're marrying this git, then?" Ron demanded, his step faltering as he looked between them.

"I don't think that's any of your business, now is it?" Hermione said coolly, trying and failing to give off an air of indifference.

"Yes, she is." Draco spoke slowly, as if reprimanding to a small child, he didn't even react to the harsh glare the curly haired witch sent him. "It's been arranged since she was born, but she's right. It's not any of your business, Weasel."

"I think it is my business!" Ron exclaimed, taking a step towards them. "She's my girlfriend, innit?!"

"I'm not your girlfriend, Ronald!" She breathed out through clenched teeth, her bright eyes narrowed into slits as the redhead took another step towards her.

"I made a mistake." Ron said soothingly and reached out to place a comforting hand on her arm but before he could reach the witch, Draco stepped between them.

"I believe I told you what would happen if you laid your hands on her again." Draco snapped harshly, stepping up so that he stood toe to toe with the lanky redhead. "I don't think there's anything left for you to say and I need to have a word with my fiancé."

"But-" Ron sputtered, recoiling from the blond as if burned, he turned to Hermione with pleading eyes. "Hermione, we can get you out of this. It wouldn't be the first time a Weasley got a good witch out of a Malfoy marriage."

"You really want to bring that up, blood traitor?" Draco snarled, his fingers clutching his wand tightly at his side. Hermione stepped forward impatiently and pushed his arm down roughly.

"Ron, you cheated on me." Hermione said bluntly as the wizards continued glaring hatefully at each other. Ron's head snapped around to stare at her with wide, guilty eyes and opened his mouth to argue but she didn't give him a chance. "It doesn't matter if you didn't actually get around to shagging them. You went out to the Leaky with the express purpose of finding a witch. Obviously, we aren't well suited if it only takes you a week of loneliness to find some slag."

"It wasn't anything like that, 'Mione." Ron's pleading tone came out as an exasperated whinge, making Draco's lips curl in disgust.

"Well, it doesn't really matter. Miss. Shafiq is my intended and I think your business is concluded." Draco cut in stiffly, shoving his hands in to his pockets as he stepped to the side so he was once again placed firmly between them. When the the other wizard just stared back at him blankly, he huffed impatiently, his lip curling up into an arrogant sneer. "It means...fuck off, Weasley. Stay the fuck away from her!"

"You fuck off, Malfoy! You don't know anything about-" Ron shouted angrily, ignoring Hermione exasperated huffs behind the blond. He was rudely cut off by the door opening and a very confused Harry Potter sticking his head in.

"You alright, Hermione?" Harry asked curiously as he closed the door behind him, his gaze narrowed dangerously as Draco stood arrogantly in front of his friend.

"That's enough!" Hermione exclaimed, roughly shoving the blond away from her. "I'm going to visit my parents and you all can stay here to compare wand sizes! Ron, I'm not your girlfriend. Malfoy, I'm not your intended or betrothed or anything but a former school mate that happened to have slapped you across the face. Harry, I'll owl you."

The three Wizards were silent after the the door slammed behind her, Ron opened and closed his mouth in an attempt to form words. Harry crossed his arms over his chest to glare at his best mate, ignoring the blond altogether. "You buggered it, didn't you?"

All the bravado left Draco as soon as his intended once again denied him, he forced himself to straighten his shoulders and glare down his nose at the bumbling duo. It wasn't as if he were suddenly in love with the former muggleborn or held some deep hidden affection for her during their days of Hogwarts but she was his now. Seeing Ronald Weasley shouting abuse at the petite witch, to have him put his hands on her, snapped the tenuous hold on his patience. Ron and Harry were still staring each other down and without acknowledging either of them he stalked towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going, Ferret?" Ron demanded angrily, trying to divert Harry's anger to a safer target.

The blond paused a the door, his hand on the handle as he looked the redhead from head to toe with his customary sneer. "None of your concern, Weasel. Just remember what I said. If you ever lay your hands on her ag-"

"WHAT?!" Harry didn't let him finish, The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Jump-Into-Action lunged at his best mate and grabbed him roughly by the collar of his ratty jumper. While they were sufficiently distracted, Draco slipped from the room, ready to track down his reluctant betrothed.

"Malfoy." A deep voice grunted from his side, Draco's eyes widened comically as he turned to see Gregory Goyle glaring at him. "Not afraid to show your pointy face in public without an armed guard?"

"Greg." Draco sighed wearily, slipping his hand into the pocket of his robe to grip his wand tightly. He very vividly remembered dodging many dark curses the last time they saw each other.

"It's only Greg to my friends, Malfoy." Greg snapped harshly, his gaunt features twisted into a pained grimace. "Not that I have any...because of you."

"It's not my fault Vince cast fucking fiendfyre." Draco retorted just as harshly through his teeth.

"We wouldn't have even been there if you hadn't needed your ever faithful goons." Greg taunted cruelly, his lower lip started to tremble but he took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "You should be in Azkaban not out stalking the halls of St. Mungo's, how much did you have to pay the mudblood to testify for you? All boohoo, they threatened my mummy but I don't think she would be half as willing if she knew how often you wished her death down in the dungeons."

"Didn't you know that word is taboo nowadays, Goyle?" George Weasley interrupted them in a deceptively light tone. He sauntered up to the two former Slytherins, his clothes hanging on his too thin frame and his wand twirling in his bony fingers. "And I know your not using that kind of language about the delightful Miss. Granger...or should I say, Shafiq?"

"Weasley." Greg sneered, taking on a defensive stance and eying the redhead's wand nervously. The Weasley twins were famous for their fast, creative spell work and he didn't want to take any chances. "I believe we were having a private discussion."

"In the middle of the the corridor?" George hummed doubtfully, rocking up on the balls of his feet with a malevolent smirk on his face. "Outside the Shafiq's private, guarded room?"

"It's none of your business, Weasley!" Greg exclaimed, taking a step away from both Draco and George. "Figured you would be more concerned with the marked death eater lurking around your muddy princess."

"Scrawny git like that?" George jerked his head towards the silent blond with a roll of his eyes. "Bit pathetic at the whole dark wizard bit if you ask me. No, I'm much more concerned with the wanker who practiced dark magic on ickle first years."

"Is there a problem here, gentleman?" A cool voice interrupted the brewing confrontation, a tall middle aged witch with her greying hair in a severe bun ignored Draco and George, instead focusing on a seething Greg. "Mr. Goyle, Mrs. Crabbe is asking for you."

"Thank you." Greg nodded hurriedly, the color draining from his face as he practically ran down the hall and pushed his way into one of the private rooms.

"So..." George drawled once the healer turned on her heel to follow Greg, he leaned against the door to the Shafiq's room nonchalantly.

"What?" Draco snapped harshly, keeping a white knuckle grip on his wand.

The redhead smirked, looking Draco up and down critically before putting his own wand away with a dramatic flourish. "Please...tell me you're the one she's betrothed to."

"Yes, our parents arranged it when she was born." Draco said stiffly, quickly schooling his features to try and hide his surprise in the face of a civil Weasley.

"That must have been an fan-bloody-tastic twist?" George grinned mischievously, glancing at the closed door of Hermione's parents room before turning back to the blond. "Always thought you had a thing for Harry with the way you dogged his steps. How tragic, cursed to love him from afar."

Draco's cheeks filled with color unattractively and his grey eyes blazed with indignation. "I'm very much into witches, Weasel One. Speaking of, where's the less fortunate looking Ginger git? Didn't think you were able to stay separate this long without some vile plague breaking out on the population." He snapped harshly, realizing too late that he misspoke. George's features immediately fell and he reached up to lightly touch his ear. Without a word the redhead dropped a wicker basket Draco didn't even notice and walked away with slumped shoulders. Belatedly he remembered his father boasting that one of the Weasley sons was struck down in battle but he didn't pay attention to who. By the time he realized that he should apologize for speaking so rashly, the other wizard was already gone.

-0-

Erin Helene Bradley felt like she walked into some demented episode of Dr. Who, the sky was endless grey rainclouds and she had been invited to tea four times by complete strangers since she left the safety of her hotel room. Nothing was as it should be. Currently she should be preparing to return to her second year of school at the College of Charleston, along with her fiancé. Her parents should be fussing over laundry and making sure that the wedding wouldn't take place until after school. Instead she was in England, getting wrapped up in a surprisingly right hug by an ancient old woman.

"Oh, Hermione! It's been so long!" The old lay's wrinkled face broke out into a large smile, her cloudy blue eyes were misty as she pulled her forward. Instantly, Erin recognized the strange name from the many documents her parents lawyers faxed after her their will was read. "It's such luck you've returned when you did. Did you cut your hair, dear? It looks lovely, much cooler with all those curls-"

"Actually, I think you have me confused with someone else? I'm looking for the Grangers." Erin tried to interject but the woman continued on as if she had not spoken at all, pulling her along towards a two story home with a blue door. Tardis blue, obviously this was some parallel universe and she internally cursed her former roommate for ever introducing her to the so called sci fi Classic.

"My poor Alden, always was my ears. Those bleeding plugs Monty brought are rubbish, never find them. One hundred and four my Alden was when he was run down by the trolley. To be taken so young!" The woman sighed sadly as she pulled Erin into a kitchen that was decorated primarily in crochet doilies. Erin barely suppressed a shiver of dread as she placed a plastic pitcher on a hot plate. Why did she leave Ethan at the hotel?

"Gran?" A deep voice startled Erin as she attempted to discreetly extricate herself from the the old woman's grip. A tall, pale man with close cropped, light brown hair and teeth too large for his mouth looked to her in surprise before laying a hand on his grandmother's shoulder to gain her attention.

"Oh, Monty!" She cried out with a bright smile, finally relenting her strong grip on Erin's hand. "Would you get Hermione her key? It was so lucky that she came today! Wasn't it lucky, my lad?"

"Yes, Gran." Monty smiled toothily at his petite grandmother, making Erin internally recoil. The man reached over petite woman's shoulder and pulled a single key from the hook, the silver key was attached to a large tooth key chain.

"Thanks." Erin mumbled uncomfortably as he offered the key, her eyes darted to the door when he took a step forward and smirked malevolently down at her.

"So, Granger..." Monty drawled slowly, looking her over from head to toe, making her feel even more uncomfortable in her tight flare blue jeans and fitted white top. "Only way to tame the wild beast you call hair was to shave your head?"

"This coming from the child of Mr. Ed and a piranha?" Erin scoffed, meeting his shocked gaze defiantly. Belatedly she wondered why he called her Granger, if the law firm that handled her parents' will was correct she might have a sister or cousin but the more they researched, more mysteries were discovered. With a sickly sweet smile on her face she waved to the kindly old woman before stalking out of the kitchen, silently fuming. How rude could strangers be? Children always made fun of her teeth and hair growing up, braces corrected her teeth in middle school and a pair of scissors fixed her hair in her senior year.

She kept her head down until she reached the red door of the white two story house that the lawyers informed her was now hers. Briefly she felt a chill run down her spine, as if she shouldn't be there, that she needed to tell Ethan that they were dead but she pushed those thoughts aside as ridiculous and put the key in the lock. The front room was dusty but tidy, the late afternoon sun danced off the many certificates and photos hanging along the walls. Her breath caught in her throat as she took a step forward to find herself faced with a picture of herself. She had to have been around ten, if the she was correct, with the over bite and coltish legs. In the photo she stood between her parents in front of a stone wall, next to a cart loaded down with a heavy wood trunk.

"What the fuck?" Erin exclaimed, wondering for hundredth time why she left her fiancé in the hotel room.


	15. Chapter 15

Theodore Nott knew what he was, he was a proud pureblood wizard who whole heartedly embraced the teachings of his father. He truly believed that he deserved the world because of his fortuitous birth. Though he was considered short compared to his former housemates like Blaise and Vincent, his sharp chiseled features helped him stand out amongst his peers. Still, he was always in the shadow of one Draco Malfoy.

His father, Thoros Nott, told him he would be a prince, deserving of everything the world had to offer. He wasn't a doting man but he did make it perfectly clear that Theo was his greatest treasure. Until he met Draco Malfoy. Thoros spent a fortune to ensure that his son had the best tutors and governesses, he was educated early on languages, the arts, mathematics, and anything else that caught his attention. It was a bit of a competition between all the old families, to see who's progeny would be the most clever, most beautiful, most powerful. Theo thought he was all those things until he met Draco Malfoy.

He was seven and his father brought him to Malfoy Manor, for the first time in his short life he was surrounded by witches and wizards his own age. It was nothing like he dreamed it would be, the older boys ignored him and the girls huddled in tight groups together giggling behind their hands. His father laid a strong, supportive hand on his shoulder to steer him towards a trio of boys that looked around his age. The smallest one, with bright white blond hair slicked back and a nasty sneer on his pointed face was flanked by two hulking, burly boys who scowled menacingly. This was his new best friend, his father told him. He was special just like Theo and they would grow to be like brothers.

The very first time Thoros Nott looked at his son with anything less than pride was when the families gathered for a recital. Pansy Parkinson, a tiny brunette with an upturned nose wearing a pink taffeta dress that overwhelmed any chair she sat in, had a lovely soprano voice that she used to serenade a bored looking Adrian Pucey. Daphne and Astoria Greengrass complimented each other perfectly as they danced in a classical ballet far advanced for their years. Vincent Crabbe surprised everyone by picking up a violin and playing a lively, complicated piece. It was when the blond stood up and stalked gracefully to the grand piano that young Theodore Nott learned what it was to feel jealousy. How could his Fur Elise ever compare to a much smaller Draco Malfoy playing Lizst's La Companella with such gusto and perfect precision. He went to sleep that night with his father's disappointed face on his mind.

It certainly didn't help that throughout his years in Hogwarts he was always designated number two in Slytherin house. Whether in grades or power, Draco Malfoy was always ahead of him. The blond's many rants of the Gryffindor mudlbood gave him a vicious sense of satisfaction. Even if she was still ahead of himself, it was so gratifying that Draco Malfoy had someone that he just couldn't beat. It came as a major surprise when the headline of The Prophet announced that the mousey little chit was actually Sienna Shafiq. Theo was lucky to catch a glimpse of the witch the day the article was released and she was just as beautiful as her mother before her. He was quite aware that his father's advances were spurned by the fiery witch's mother. It didn't mean that the proud wizard ever gave up.

 _Theodore,_

 _Did you see her, my lad? I was able to acquire a torn copy of The Prophet, isn't she the picture of perfection? Didn't I tell you, my lad? Violet was born to be your mother but fate is cruel. Do not worry, my lad. She was made for our House and we-_

"What are you doing?" The sleepy form of Blaise Zabini startled him, Theo turned to find the Italian wizard running his fingers through his bedridden hair and scratching his bare chest. His heart raced as his eyes lowered, taking in the loose cotton pants slung low on his hips. Unconsciously, Theo licked his lips before his gaze darted back to Blaise's smug smile.

"Father sent me a letter." Theo mumbled uncomfortably, shoving the parchment into his desk and closing the drawer with an audible snap. "You're up early."

"Mm, your room is freezing and I missed my piccolo furno." Blaise gave him a cheeky grin as he closed the distance between them and wrapped his tanned, toned arms around the shorter wizard. He rested his chin on top of Theo's head and couldn't stop his eyes from straying to the desk. "You know the ministry will take you in if they find out your father is writing to you."

"What am I supposed to do?" Theo grumbled, melting into his lover's embrace. "He's my father...although, life on the run doesn't suite him. Well, life hasn't suited him since he came back...kept calling me his lad. Doesn't usually say that unless he's had too many fire whiskeys."

"Tesoro, what does he want from you?" Blaise asked hesitantly, almost afraid to know what the mad wizard could need.

"I didn't finish the letter but...I think he's chosen the future Lady Nott." Theo sighed and pulled away from the comfort of Blaise's arms. The Italian's face immediately fell at his words, he crossed his arms over his bare, tanned chest and his jaw clenched in irritation.

"You are aware you would need to sleep with this hypothetical wife?" Blaise practically snarled in outrage. Their relationship had developed from youthful experimentation to full blown forbidden romance through their years in Hogwarts. It wasn't until their sixth year that either of them gave much thought to the future. Blaise was unconcerned, he could be with anyone he chose and was under the impression that his boyfriend was the same. When Thoros Nott announced that he arranged an agreement between his son and Pansy Parkinson, Theo played the part of dutiful son. Blaise thought that when Algernon Parkinson dissolved the contract that they could have a future together. Seeing Theo's guarded expression broke his heart all over again.

-0-

Draco stared at the innocuous wicker basket for what seemed like hours, healers briskly walked past him without even a glance in his direction. When he finally stepped across the hall to retrieve the abandoned basket, the door to the Shafiq's room opened and Hermione stepped out. Her robe was open, exposing a pretty little blue dress that hugged her curves deliciously. His mouth dried as she bent down to pick up some spilled papers, giving him a scandalous view of her cleavage.

"Can I help you, Malfoy?" Hermione asked primly as she stood stiffly, her cheeks flushed with color and she was unable to meet his gaze.

Draco cleared his throat and forced himself to look away from her body before he spoke. "I came to thank you for what you did at my trial...I don't think I would have escaped time in Azkaban without you."

"It was the right thing to do...you were sixteen when they branded you. You were a bullying prat, not a real death eater." Hermione nodded absently as she turned her eyes up to his face. "I suppose I was a bit unfair to you last night...I'm sorry. Lot of stress with everything, I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"My father..." Draco paused, unsure how make up some weak excuse for Lucius Malfoy's performance. It wasn't as though he himself ever wanted to be in the man's presence and his behavior the night before was completely inappropriate for company. "He's not been well since his magic was bound."

She was silent for a few moments, taking the time to study him critically for any signs of deceit. Even if she already decided she wouldn't marry him, it didn't mean that she would go back on her word. Hermione spoke the truth at his trial, she truly believed that Draco deserved a second chance to see the error in his parents' teachings. "I've always wondered what long term magical suppression would do to a witch or wizard. It hasn't been used a form of punishment in two centuries and the few times I've come across it there's nothing about the side effects."

"I couldn't imagine not having my magic...even the people in Azkaban can still feel their magic, it's supposedly a small comfort. Lucius has been...volatile since his core was bound. More so, even, then when his lord and master came to the manor." Draco mumbled uncomfortably and absently swung the wicker basket between his hands.

"What's that?" Hermione asked curiously, stepping forward to lean against the wall beside Draco.

"One of the Weasleys dropped it, I was just about to knock but..." Draco held the basket out to her awkwardly, Hermione readjusted the papers in her hands before taking and setting it down at their feet. She gasped when she flipped one of the tops to find an assortment of meat pies and knitting needles with yarn. The blond lunged forward and picked up what looked like a pair of crochet knickers with extra large legs holes. "What is this?"

"It's a hat!" Hermione exclaimed defensively and snatched it from his hands, unable to stop the blood from rushing to her cheeks.

"Really?" Draco asked doubtfully, tilting his head to the side as she shoved the hat back into the basket. "They looked like some very kinky knickers, Miss. Shafiq."

"Stop that." Hermione grumbled uncomfortably when she looked up to find him smiling down at her, a bright lopsided smile that seemed to transform his face.

"What?" He froze, the smile slipping from his face as he suddenly tensed.

"Smiling at me...teasing me in a...good natured way." She sighed and shoved the papers into the basket as well, avoiding his questioning gaze. "It's creepy."

"We're going to be married so I didn't think you would want me continue the cycle of vicious taunts turned violence." Draco stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"We're not getting married." Hermione snorted as she started walking down the corridor briskly, his long strides caught up with her quickly. "Speaking of which, do you know how I can get my hands on the actual contract?"

"We don't have a standard agreement." Draco scoffed and waved his hand dismissively before reaching out and opening the door to the waiting room for her. When she looked at him impatiently to elaborate he rolled his eyes. "We were bound by magic, apparently it was an old Fawley ritual. There were no goblin representatives and months of negotiations over dowry."

"But I read in The Prophet that Parkinson's father broke her betrothal." Hermione scowled up at the blond defiantly.

"That's because Pansy's father made sure that she would be able to have a future no matter who won the war. She didn't really tell me many details because I had my own issues in sixth year but the contract between Houses Parkinson and Nott were not bound by magic. It was overseen by a goblin and at any time either of the paterfamilias could break the agreement with a simple signature." Draco said drolly, looking completely indifferent, much to the curly haired witch's surprise. "Our betrothal is something far older than anything that ever bound my parents, I don't even know all the details. My mother just promised me-"

When he did not continue, she sighed in frustration before changing tactics. "You seem awfully blasé about your girlfriend getting sold to one of your friends."

She didn't expect Draco to laugh, something she never heard before. It was rich and full as he threw his head back in the middle of the corridor chuckling. "Pansy's not my girlfriend."

"Hmm..." Hermione hummed noncommittally but he could see the skepticism in her eyes as they reached the entrance.

"You don't have to believe me..." Draco shrugged, looking unconcerned but it hurt, for reasons beyond his understanding, that she refused to accept his words as truth.

"So, how do we break this betrothal?" Hermione wondered aloud as they stood near entryway to the muggle world.

"We don't." Draco stated bluntly, looking at Hermione as if she were mentally deficient. "Magically binding, we're already practically married. Whatever our parents did, they wanted to make sure no one could get between this union."

"I need some bloody chips." Hermione sighed, looking wistfully out at the busy streets of muggle London. "Oh, and chippy sauce!"

"The fuck is chippy sauce?" Draco couldn't help but ask, her face was so open and filled longing.

"You've never had chips and brown sauce?!" Hermione exclaimed, looking completely scandalized. After a moment of thought she took off the light blue robes and shoved them hurriedly into her basket before turning back to the gobsmacked blond. "What are you wearing under your robes?"

-0-0-0-

 **Sorry if the last chapter threw anyone off, I just really didn't want to go through Erin's entire back story right away. There were a few little things but yes, she was born Hermione Granger and now she's returning to England for answers. Only a few more chapters until that confrontation.**


	16. Chapter 16

_She doesn't know our customs, Draco. You must be so patient and so very cunning, show her what a great wizard you can be._

His mother's words echoed in his head as he stared at Hermione's expectant face. Did she really just strip off her robes, leaving her in only that tight little dress that showed off her trim waist and shapely legs? He couldn't stop his eyes from drifting, he was a young, virile wizard gazing upon his betrothed after all. When she made an impatient gesture with her hand, he slowly unfastened his traveling cloak, exposing his plain black suit with matching vest and tie.

"Why do you look like a mortician...or maybe a train conductor? Is that a pocket watch?!" Hermione asked curiously as she took his heavy cloak and stuffed it into her basket, much to his dismay.

"What are you doing?" Draco demanded, ignoring her questions altogether. Using his distracted state to her advantage, she grabbed his hand and actually started dragging him towards the archway. The archway that lead to muggle London, the very same archway that his father swore would steal his magic and turn him into a mudblood if he ever got too close to it. Being a reasonable and cautious wizard he used his superior strength to wrap an arm around his intended and pulled her away from the incredibly dangerous artifact.

"You're barely English if you've never had chippy sauce. Would keep your hands off me!" Hermione scoffed, batting away his hands ineffectually. "Seriously, Malfoy. Let me go."

"Don't you know what that archway does to purebloods?" Draco hissed, looking at the entryway fearfully.

"I don't know...does it somehow fill your veins with mud?" Hermione rolled her eyes impatiently, finally jerking her body away from him.

"Yes!" Draco exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air, deeply disturbed that she was not more concerned with the consequences.

"Draco." Hermione started, her bright eyes filled with compassion as she grabbed his hands and held them tightly between them. "Muggleborn and muggle blood is just as red as yours, you were at the final battle, you lived in Voldemort's headquarters for three years."

"But father-" Draco tried to explain but quickly closed his mouth as he thought about the many lies his father told him throughout his life.

"We used that entrance fifth year and at the end of the war, a lot of witches and wizards use the main portal." Hermione said patiently, excited to see Draco thinking for himself. "My parents were able to use that entrance at the end of our fifth year so I could pick up the potions for my injuries."

"Really?" Draco asked skeptically, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Yes, although now that I think of it...I do need to go home and get some muggle money. Apparently, one of the house elves misplaced my beaded bag." Hermione grumbled as she glanced down at her wand, remembering belatedly that she couldn't even use it until her birthday.

"Like this?" Draco asked as he took a leather pouch, embossed with the Malfoy family crest, from his pocket and pulled a fifty pound note from it. Hermione's eyes widened as she stared at the innocuous bill in his hand.

"Why do you have muggle money?" Hermione demanded, looking around the crowded reception area for masked death eaters. Obviously, this was some kind of trap organized to destabilize the wizarding community by having Draco Malfoy holding anything remotely muggle in his hands. Didn't he realize how many muggles probably touched that note?

"Uhh.." Draco cleared his throat and licked his lips before looking away, unable to meet her gaze. "Andromeda Tonks found me after my trial...told me to go out in the muggle world and see what I've been missing. She explained it was a note worth ten galleons then disappeared before I could throw it back because obviously Malfoys do not accept charity."

"So you were just going to wander around muggle London with a pouch full of gold and a fifty pound note with out any knowledge of how that world works?" Hermione asked skeptically, leaning back on wall behind her with wide eyes.

"No!" He exclaimed quickly, suddenly feeling foolish for even offering. It would be a lie to say he wasn't just a little curious, terrified and disgusted but still curious. "Never mind, I'll just-"

"Stop!" Hermione grabbed his arm as he started to turn away, to leave without his cloak. "It's just bizarre...Draco Malfoy offering to...what? Walk amongst the muggles and order up some chips?"

"Do you want your bloody hippie sauce or not?" Draco demanded, throwing his hands up in defeat.

Hermione couldn't stop the small smile from blooming on her face as they walked through the archway. The abandoned storefront of Purge and Dowse Ltd. lead them out to a relatively empty side street of London. She was always amazed at the ease witches and wizards hid themselves in such a densely populated area. They set off silently towards the busy streets, right beside Moorgate station. Draco was much more hesitant when a large group of muggles crossed their path, all of them kitted out in fancy dress. Hermione could see his anxiety so she put a comforting hand on his arm, leading the them to a corner shop, The Failsafe Chippery.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Hermione asked, noticing for the first time that his skin had an ashy tint and a light sheen of sweat dripping down his face.

"You're my betrothed." Draco grunted, looking around the cramped space with a sneer on his face. The booths were clean and orderly but nearly every square inch of the walls were covered in frozen pictures in frames and the exposed blue paint was slightly orange due to years of smokers.

"I'm Hermione Granger." She smirked as they got into the queue behind a couple of teenage girls in their school uniform giggling behind their hands. When Draco noticed their not so subtle glances, his face morphed into a disgusted grimace, his harsh glare filled with so much loathing it made one of the girls start crying. "There's the Malfoy I know."

Her scathing tone tore Draco's gaze away from the sniffling muggle girl, he forced himself to look down at her reproachful face impassively. "You don't know me."

Hermione scoffed, rolling her bright eyes before turning back to the large take out menu hanging above the register. "Please, I've known you since we were eleven."

"Yes, we've had so many deep and meaningful conversations in Hogwarts, didn't we?" Draco retorted sarcastically, flinching away from the muggle girls as they rushed past him. He hurriedly wiped away at his sleeves in a panic, eliciting loud whimpers from the school girl now being dragged from the shop by her indignant friend.

"You just made a little girl cry with barely a glance." Hermione snapped harshly, looking truly offended that he needed to wipe the muggle germs from his sleeve.

"What exactly did you expect when they were..." Draco trailed off, shuddering in revulsion as he remembered the appreciative gleam in the young muggle's eyes. "Would you rather I preen when some filthy muggle gets depraved ideas in contemptible little their heads?"

"Do you listen to yourself when you talk?" Hermione gasped, looking around quickly to make sure they weren't overheard. She hastily ordered for the both of them, snatching the money from his hand without even looking at him. The overweight man behind the counter slapped two paper baskets, lined with news clippings, of chips on the counter and ladled so much brown sauce over the fried goods they were nearly swimming. While Hermione took the baskets, Draco snatched the two cold, bottles of water, making sure to hold them away from his body.

"I'm not sitting there." Draco hissed when Hermione led him to one of the many empty booths. A shiver ran down Draco's spine at the very thought of eating around so many muggles. There was a full table of old men, sipping their coffees and smoking their pipes, looking at the couple curiously.

She didn't get up, just stared up at him with wide eyes. "Then where do you want to sit?" Hermione asked through her gritted teeth, trying and failing keep a hold on her temper.

"Back to St. Mungo's." Draco drawled slowly, the superior smirk on his face almost hid how unsettled he truly was.

Hermione stared at him critically as she idly twirled one of her chips in the warm brown sauce before sucking her teeth in frustration. "Does it really upset you to be around muggles?" She asked curiously before shoving one of the dripping fried potatoes in her mouth. Her eyes closed and she couldn't help the little moan of appreciation that built in her throat, it had been too long since she had good chippy sauce. Most of the food Molly Weasley cooked was boiled or baked and it was the same with the Hogwarts elves. It was a bit of a tradition, her mother and father would find small fish and chip shops to try when she came home from school. Her father loved to find a good curry sauce and he swore it was only the smallest and dingiest pubs that knew how to make it.

"It can't be that good." Draco sneered, his cheeks sporting a tint of pink when she opened her eyes and raised her eyebrow in challenge. With his lip curled he hesitantly picked up one of the chips with the very tips of his pointer finger and thumb. Not really wanting to touch the sodding fried potato. Surprised by how hot it was he quickly shoved it in his mouth, not taking his eyes off the petite witch smiling at him smugly.

"Told you." Hermione sang before eating another chip. Draco didn't bother correcting her that he missed lunch because he was stuck waiting for her at St. Mungo's. Instead he shoved five dripping chips in his mouth at once, groaning appreciatively.

The smug little smile on her face did strange things to his stomach and as he looked around, he noticed that that muggles were openly staring at him curiously. Sitting quickly, his back was perfectly straight and he took a long drink from the crinkly bottle of water. Draco itched to take out his wand to scourgify the table and booth around him but he somehow resisted. The ministry would not be lenient if they found out he did magic in front of muggles, they would probably throw him in Azkaban without bothering to give him a trial.

"You alright?" Hermione asked, her voice breaking through his morose thoughts. Draco blinked slowly, looking down at his sticky fingers in disgust. He refused to lower himself to the point that he licked his fingers clean like the witch in front of him, even if she did look delectable as she did it. Hermione seemed to somehow guess his dilemma because she pushed a metal canister towards him.

After some fumbling he figured out how to pull the little paper napkins from the dispenser and hastily wiped his hands before speaking. "Just remembered that I can't do magic." He mumbled sheepishly before draining his bottle of water silently.

"Neither can I." Hermione nodded in understanding, glancing subtly down at her watch. It wasn't that she had any other place to be, really. Not until she could apparate on her own again. Then she fully intended to go to her family home in Crawley to find some of her old jumpers and jeans. The papers she retrieved from Severus Snape's home also needed to be thoroughly studied to find a way to locate the Grangers. Luckily she had time to figure the betrothal nonsense but at that moment she had chips.

"Why can't you do magic?" Draco asked curiously after he finished the last of his basket. Hermione was mildly shocked that he swallowed and wiped his mouth before speaking, unlike her best friends. "You're a war hero."

"I'm also apparently sixteen." Hermione grumbled bitterly. "I went from being one of the oldest students in our class to the youngest."

"Never thought of that." Draco nodded absently, studying her closely. "Did you know?"

"Know?" Hermione parroted curiously, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"Know who you really were." He clarified hastily, using the paper napkins to clean up the area around him so that he didn't technically fidget under her stare.

"Nope." Hermione clipped tersely, making her lips pop around the syllable. "Huge surprise when my muggle, dentist mum started screaming about how she was going to give your father boils."

"Really?" Draco couldn't help but smile slightly at the mental picture of the petite Violet Shafiq taking her wand to the intimidating figure of Lucius Malfoy, death eater. "How did you not know you were a pureblood?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she finished chewing her food before answering. "How could I?" She countered quickly with a challenging brow raised.

"Well, you were always good at magic and you were top of your class." Draco said slowly before sucking his teeth and he narrowed his slate grey eyes in thought. "You were everything a mu...muggleborn shouldn't be. It never occurred to you to find out?"


	17. Chapter 17

Hermione blinked slowly, trying to absorb Draco's words without losing her temper. "You were the expert, my parents were just as surprised as I was when we found out I was a witch. So, if you...a Malfoy couldn't deduce my blood purity, how could I?"

Draco didn't seem to catch the hard edge to her words, instead he looked genuinely puzzled. "Father always said-"

"Yes, your father said." Hermione cut him off in a scathing tone, looking exasperated. "However, I think after seven years at Hogwarts you would have come to your own conclusions about blood purity."

"Yes, because Slytherin is a wealth of diversity." Draco scowled, sitting back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest defensively. "There was only one half blood Slytherin in our year and we barely spoke. I certainly didn't interact with people outside my house, other than you and your bodyguards.

"You're one to talk about body guards." She scoffed, pushing away her paper basket in disgust. "Those bookends are supposed to be the pinnacle of perfect pureblood lineage yet I don't think they could possibly string enough words together to compose a coherent sentence."

"Careful, Miss. Shafiq." Draco warned in a low, menacing tone, his grey eyes narrowed dangerously. "You are also a prime example of hundreds of years of purposeful matches and immaculate breeding. You're powerful, brilliant, and beautiful, all the things that good families strive to produce in their heirs. Just because Greg and...Vince didn't like talking in public did not mean they weren't smart."

Hermione was silent a moment, her eyes wide with surprise. To have Draco Malfoy compliment her was never something she thought she would experience. Just as quickly, anger coursed through her as she remembered that she didn't look the same anymore. She didn't have hair that was more frizz than curls or plain, boring brown eyes. "I've always been intelligent and powerful but you could overlook those because of my blood status or maybe because I wasn't the trifecta like so many purebloods. So now, because I physically look different suddenly those attributes can be acknowledged?"

"Your glamour was passable." Draco waved away her anger and indignation with an unconcerned flip of his hand. "Whoever helped hide you did a very thorough job of it. Father was furious that a mudblood could possibly beat a Malfoy at anything. He was after all top of his classes so I had to be top of mine. So, after second year when you finished first, even after being bloody petrified for months, he did some research into your family. Fifteen generations of pure muggle stock, he raged the entire summer."

"He wasn't top of his class." Hermione stated primly, internally seething at the blond's arrogance. The way he just blindly accepted his father's words as truth simultaneously broke her heart and made her want to bash her head into the table in frustration. "So, even after it was confirmed through your father that I was a muggleborn, top of your class and powerful you still didn't think that maybe your father was wrong about blood purity?"

"What exactly do you expect?" Draco asked with a scowl on his pale face. "That I just wake up one day and think to myself, 'yeah, I suppose I'll just forget everything I was ever taught and become a blood traitor.' Don't be daft, I may think that purebloods are inherently better than muggles but that doesn't mean I want to turn my wand on them."

"Real-" Hermione started in a disbelieving tone but Draco shook his head impatiently.

"You weren't the only muggleborn in our year, you know." He snapped harshly, glancing around quickly before he leaned across the table on his elbows. "I've never said a word to any of them because they weren't worth my time. You are the one that pushed yourself into my sights, you are the one that had to prove you were special. Yet still, I never raised my wand to you."

"My teeth." Hermione hissed, her bright eyes narrowing as Draco just leaned even further across the table so that he was invading her personal space.

"That was meant for Potter and I think I did you a favor since you returned to class sans beaver mouth." Draco smirked when she lowered her eyes to her lap and a blush crept up her cheeks.

"You're such a git." Hermione grumbled as she quickly got to her feet and stalked from the little shop. Draco was quick to catch up with her in the busy streets, carrying her forgotten basket.

"You always rush off when someone proves you wrong?" Draco asked idly, the corners of his mouth curling up into a smug little smile.

"Wrong?" Hermione scoffed, turning her nose up in the air, not breaking her stride past Moorgate Station.

"Yes, wrong." Draco nodded arrogantly, practically skipping beside her. "I suppose it doesn't happen to you t-"

"I'm not wrong, you're just being an insufferable bloody wanker and I have better things to do than this!" She grumbled, not bothering to even glance in his direction.

Draco was not perturbed at all, just continued smirking beside her and nodded his head. "Please, you wouldn't be this defensive otherwise. I remember your constant hounding back at Hogwarts."

"Do you really want to go over the years of your harassment?" Hermione turned on him with a disturbed frown not far from the storefront of Purge and Dowse Ltd. "I was surprised to find myself having a pleasant time watching yo-"

"Ah ah ah." Draco cut her off with a smirk, ticking his finger side to side. The knowing glint in his eyes made Hermione bristle but he was unrepentant. "I'll admit, I was a bit arrogant in my youth but you started it."

"I started it?" Hermione gasped, looking completely scandalized at his accusation. "Need I remind you that you're the very first person to call me a mudblood."

"After you accused me of buying my way onto the Slytherin quidditch team in front of two dozen people!" Draco drawled rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, looking victorious as realization dawned in her bright eyes.

"Your father bought the-" Hermione started in a slightly strangled voice and he could see that she was struggling internally.

"The brooms were delivered that morning, a full two weeks after I made the team." Draco shrugged looking completely unaffected by the petite witch's scowl. "So, really Professor Snape wanted to give the entire team a chance to acclimate on new brooms."

"But your father bought the Slytherin team brooms!" Hermione exclaimed hotly, pausing in her steps to turn on him with an accusatory glare.

"And August Higgs, Terence's father, donated a dozen brooms five years before that, when his son was made seeker." Draco nodded with that infuriating, smug little smile on his face. "It's tradition and as you know, old practices are very important to the families."

"That makes no sense!" Hermione blurted out incredulously, crossing her arms over chest. Inadvertently, drawing Draco's attention away from her face and she slapped his chest with a disgusted snort. "So, every time there's a new player they have to 'donate' a new set of brooms?!"

"Please, don't try and understand Slytherin politics and procedures." Draco scoffed, pausing briefly while he rubbed his chest with an irritated scowl. "When a Slytherin makes the team, they make donations according to the necessity. When Greg and Vince made the team in fifth year, their families donated new quidditch pads and practice gear."

"That's not nearly as much as new brooms." Hermione frowned in confusion, leaning away from the blond.

"It's not about the galleons, it's about ensuring that Slytherin has an edge against the other houses. Even if say...Davis somehow joined the team, her parents couldn't afford to make a significant contribution so other families would do it in her name." He paused when he noticed a speculative gleam in her eyes that made his stomach tighten in dread. "Before you say anything about the inequality of it all, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws did the same...just not quite as efficient. It's not our fault that Gryffindor had so many Weasleys."

"They still beat Slytherin." Hermione said smugly, almost glowing with vindication.

"Potter," Draco spat out angrily as his face contorted back into the sneering little boy of his youth. "was using a professional standard broom, if you hadn't noticed. The fastest broom with the best maneuverability ever released, a broom that no other seeker could match unless dementors swarmed the pitch."

"Then why didn't you just buy the Slytherins Firebolts?" Hermione scoffed with a roll of her eyes, completely unaffected by the blond's temper.

"Not only did my father just donate enough brooms for the entire team the year before Potter got his Firebolt, but the headmaster thought it would be an unfair advantage that none of the other houses could meet." He turned his nose up at that but Hermione saw the brief flare of emotion in his eyes before it was quickly smothered. "Nimbus 2001's were something like sixty galleons each because Father bought in bulk...the Firebolt was still upwards of fifteen thousand each and they would be on back order behind the international teams."

"Fifteen thousand galleons?" Hermione choked on air as her eyes widened dramatically, realizing that only Sirius Black would spend so much on a third year's broom.

"Upwards of twenty five when they were first released and you bought only one." Draco shrugged carelessly but he could actually see her brain at work, calculating the values.

"You would really have paid that much to have an edge in quidditch?" Hermione asked incredulously, rocking back on her heels.

"No." Draco laughed at the expression on her face, shaking his head at the very idea. "While the Malfoy fortune could afford it..."

"I don't understand why anyone would pay so much for everyday cleaning supplies." Hermione huffed turning around to continue on to St. Mungo's but Draco grabbed her arm. When she opened her mouth to scold him, the scandalized expression on his face made her jaw snap shut so fast her teeth chattered audibly.

"A..." Draco chokes, unable to form words for a moment. She blinked owlishly as he appeared incapable of controlling his emotions. "Cleaning supplies?"

"Yes..." Hermione drawled slowly with an arched brow, pulling her arm out of his loose grip.

"Cleaning supplies?!" Draco exclaimed, his grey eyes wide in horror. "The Firebolt is the most sophisticated piece of magical equipment ever to be produced. Goblins have assisted in enchanting every singly broomstick, it takes weeks to charm just one. The speed and handling is so far beyond anything that other manufacturers can reproduce. In fact, even after five years it's still considered the b-"

"You..." Hermione cut him off, sputtering in laughter. Never had she heard Draco Malfoy speak so passionately, almost reverently, about anything while they were in school. Even when he spoke of his father or blood purity, it was always in the same cool, indifferent tone.

"Granger!" Draco exclaimed, his cheeks flushing and he pinched his brow as he shifted his weight into his left leg. Her laughter died immediately at his outburst and her eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

"You called me Granger." Hermione whispered softly, shifting her feet awkwardly.

"Forgive me, Miss. Shafiq." Draco grimaced, color creeping up his cheeks as he lowered his eyes. "You...it just reminded me of when you were Granger."

"I am still Hermione Granger." She sighed sadly, chewing her plump lower lip as she glanced at him through her lashes. "It's not like I'm this whole new person...I wish people would stop looking at me like I am."

"But you are." Draco said hesitantly, seeing the stiffening of her shoulders he tried to clarify quickly. "When they removed the glamours, you became Sienna Shafiq, pureblood. I don't know how they got Hermione Granger but you were never really her."

"The very first book I remember reading was 'My Name is Hermione', my parents had it made for me. It was story about origins, my father was Welsch, my mother was French. My name meant 'earthly messenger' and my favorite toy was a stuffed dragon that had a little torch in its mouth to scare away the monsters. My entire childhood, I believed that I was just like Matilda, an outsider with exceptional gifts and a love of books. I joined the magical world and fought a war as Hermione Granger, muggleborn extraordinaire. Do not tell me who I am, Malfoy." She finished with a defiant glare, enjoying the shocked expression on his face.

"But you're a pureblood now." Draco tried to explain but she shook her head impatiently.

"I was a pureblood before." Hermione huffed impatiently then decided to try another tactic. "What would you say if your father informed you that you weren't Draco Malfoy, you're were really John Smith. Average, everyday wizard with no exceptional family tapestry to measure your worth. Would it really change who you are as a person?" She asked softly, tilting her head to the side to study his reaction. She didn't expect to see so many conflicting emotions in his eyes, she expected him to automatically spout about being the Draco Malfoy and no one could ever change that. The boy she knew in school was always so self assured, but the man in front of her looked vulnerable. Before she could ponder more on the new mystery that was Draco Malfoy traipsing into muggle London to enjoy a basket of chips with Hermione Granger, the empty street went dark.


	18. Chapter 18

"You're such a naughty girl, my Violet." A darkened figure whispered in a raspy breath as he ran a pale finger down her porcelain cheek. They put her in the same bed as him, the wizard who stole her away.

With a grunt, Thoros pushed Antonio Shafiq off the small hospital bed, enjoying the sound of his skull hitting the stone floor. He hovered above the petite witch and looked at the unconscious wizard on the floor, blood was already pooling around his head. Turning back to little fiery haired witch he had to bite back a groan, she looked so sweet and innocent, almost like she was sleeping. She was meant for him and while it filled him with rage that she married another, he just had to remember it was fate. It wasn't her fault. No, he shook his head quickly, clearing his mind of muddled thoughts. It was her father and the Shafiqs. They needed her to provide powerful heirs to a lesser house. But his little Violet fixed all that, didn't she? Made up for her father's foolishness.

"You did a wonderful thing, my treasure." Thoros groaned huskily, bending down so that his nose trailed up her neck. He took a deep breath of her scent, slightly dulled by the potions and the sterile hospital room. Just as the room shook with a deafening explosion, he realized his time was short. So he closed his eyes as he parted his lips so he could run his tongue along her cheek, finally tasting her sweet skin. With a resounding crack he turned on the spot, disapperating from the room.

* * *

When Draco and Hermione were suddenly shrouded in darkness, the blond immediately dropped the basket and pulled his wand. He reached out to yank the witch to his side but she was already waving her wand in complicated patterns, clearing the stifling darkness immediately around them. Through the dense fog, they could see the dark mark in the sky, glowing ominously. Draco felt frozen to the spot, watching as the snake slithered out of the skulls mouth and twisted upward. He thought it was over, the Dark Lord was dead, his mark no longer burned.

"Move!" Hermione hissed, yanking him backwards just as a dozen plumes of black smoke flew into the darkened street. Witches and wizards in black robes and bone white masks landed on their feet in front of the entrance of St. Mungo's.

"They put up anti-apparition wards." Draco whispered in her ear, keeping his wand up defensively but the death eaters didn't even approach them.

" _Bombarda Maxima_!" A high pitched voice called out as one of the masked death eaters pointed their wand at the store front of Purge and Dowse Ltd. Draco reacted instinctively by pulling Hermione into his chest then curling around her so that he could shield her body with his own.

"Lookie what we 'ave here, then." A deep voice rumbled gleefully as he broke away from his comrades and took a step towards the couple menacingly. "Little baby Malfoy finally got himself a little witch."

"Travers!" One of the death eaters reprimanded him quickly as the rest rushed through the now open entryway into the hospital. "We're not here for that...yet."

"You go on." Travers chuckled darkly, not bothering to turn around. "I've been looking forward to this since the welp got in my way."

"Malfoy, you have to let me go." Hermione hissed as Draco stood defiantly in front of her completely, his entire body stiff and tense.

"Granger, stay the fuck down." Draco whispered loudly, catching the attention of one of the larger death eaters.

"Granger?" A rough, gravelly voice demanded as a tall figure moved to stand beside Travers. Hermione instantly stiffened and her nails bit painfully into Draco's arm.

"Dolohov." Hermione spat out, squaring her shoulders and roughly throwing Draco's arm away from her. "I thought Professor Flitwick took care of you at the battle."

"Half-breed." Dolohov breathed, his voice rattling against his mask. Apparently Travers lost his patience because he stepped forward and launched a bright orange curse at the young witch and wizard silently. Hermione and Draco both threw up a shield but the blond roughly shoved her out of the way before attacking Travers head on. "So the rumors are true? The mudblood got a new pedigree?"

" _Expelliarmus_!" Hermione shouted in lieu of a response, Dolohov easily sidestepped the spell and twirled his wand in his long, spindly fingers. From the corner of her eye she could see Draco battling furiously and silently with Travers, the blond was pushing his opponent back, making sure that he kept himself firmly between the death eater and Hermione.

" _Irramabus_!" Dolohov hissed from behind his mask, sending off a bright red stream of magic towards Hermione. She ducked her head and the spell exploded against the wall behind her, sending large chunks of stone flying through the air. "I should have known you weren't a filthy mudblood, your skin tears so pretty."

" _Stupefy_!" Hermione gasped, gritting her teeth as the exposed skin on her arms and legs was littered with shallow cuts. When Dolohov just laughed and dodged her stunner she waved her wand to cast a blasting hex silently. He was taken off guard and stumbled. Giving her an opening to flick her wand, summoning ropes that flew through the air to bind his arms to his side.

" _Diffindo_." Dolohov snarled, shredding the ropes just as they touched his robes. He just opened his mouth to send another dark curse when Hermione launched a volley of spells. All of them designed to detain him, not kill or even disable so he laughed. The mad Russian wizard chuckled wildly while he dipped and dodged her attacks, he didn't even bother to magically retaliate. She was fast and creative in her spell work but she just wasn't willing to kill.

" _Ex_ -" Hermione shouted out but she was cut off when he physically launched himself at the petite witch, covering her body with his own. She struggled as he roughly shoved her arms above her head and pried the wand from her delicate fingers, only to carelessly toss it away. He dipped his head down, burying his face in her neck where he took a deep breath.

"My Lord promised I could break you." Dolohov chuckled; his rancid breath was hot and wet on her cheek. Her eyes narrowed into furious slits and she tried to line up her hands so she could use some of the limited wandless magic she knew. With one hand he held her arms above her head by the wrists, the other pulled up the bottom of her dress all the way to the tops of her thigh. Bile rose in her throat as his rough, callused fingers rested just below her knickers.

"I was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange, you think you can do better?" Hermione sneered, already feeling lightheaded from his heavy body crushing her.

"I think I can be just a bit more creative than Bella...especially when my muse looks so delicious." He breathed huskily, his tongue darting out to lick his lips in anticipation.

Just as his fingers moved to brush the delicate satin of her knickers, Hermione threw herself forward with all her strength to smash her forehead into his face. "Ugh..." She groaned weakly, feeling the warm trickle of blood on her face.

"Bitch!" He snarled as his white mask cracked right down the middle and fell from his bloody face. Her vision doubled, either from her own blood dribbling down into her eyes or the impact she wasn't sure, but he removed his hand from her thigh and raised his arm to strike her.

" _Sectumsempra_!" Draco's voice called out clearly, the white ball of light hit the death eater in the side, opening long deep wounds all along his ribcage and arm, completely severing his hand. The older wizard rolled off Hermione and she scrambled away, snatching her wand off the ground as she shakily got to her feet.

Dolohov howled in pain, clutching his bleeding ribs in a futile attempt to staunch the blood flow. Hermione pointed her wand at the crumpled figure, ready to stun and bind him but the death eater caught sight her movement. Before either Draco or Hermione could react Dolohov dissolved into a distorted cloud of black smoke, darting into the darkened sky erratically. Hermione stumbled back, leaning heavily on the broken stone wall as she attempted to wipe the blood from her face. Draco moved forward with his wand raised but she flinched away from him instinctively.

"Mm fine." She mumbled when she saw the flash of irritation in his eyes. Deftly she ripped a strip of material from her dress to press against the angry cut on her forehead.

"I was just going to clean up the blood." Draco murmured, looking anxiously around the empty street. He could see the muggles milling past obliviously and he shook his head before focusing on the petite witch at his side.

"Thank you." She whispered, blinking furiously in an attempt to clear her head. They could hear the spell fire from inside St. Mungo's and with a steadying breath she tore another strip of fabric from her dress.

"What are you doing?" Draco demanded, her dress now hanging raggedly inches above her knees. He hissed as he bent down to retrieve their cloaks from the overturned basket, not even sparing a glance at the unconscious form of Travers. Hermione finished wrapping a particularly nasty cut on her forearm when she noticed Draco wincing.

"Are you hurt?" Hermione looked him over with concern, reaching out to touch his shoulder. He flinched and quickly stood straight, his hand still clutching his bloody side.

"I've had worse." He groaned, holding out his own traveling cloak with a shaking hand. She ignored the gesture and stepped forward to pull his hand away from his side, revealing a long slit in his suit jacket. The wound was bleeding heavily, also oozing with some kind of orange, oily substance, much to her confusion.

"What did he do?" Hermione exclaimed in horror, snatching the traveling cloak from his hands so that she could gently blot at the wound.

"Fuck!" Draco hissed through clenched teeth as she attempted to clean away the blood. "Why don't you just fucking use magic?!"

"I don't know what spell he used...so using magic could just make it worse." Hermione said absently as she shredded the fine material of his cloak so that she could place a large swatch of fabric over the wound. His blood saturated the material quickly, helping the scrap of cloak stay in place. "We should get inside; there were a lot of sick witches and wizards in the lobby."

"You're hurt, I'm fucking hurt." Draco shook his head to clear his thoughts. "We should go to the manor; Mother is fairly skilled at he-"

"My parents are in there." Hermione quickly objected. After taking a deep breath she snatched Travers' wand from the ground and twisted it into her knotted curls to keep it out of her eyes. Without even looking at the blond, she stalked towards the destroyed storefront that now showed the absolute devastation inside St. Mungo's.

"Fuck..." Draco breathed out, his grey eyes wide in horror. The cloaked figures were pushing their way past the front desk, battling healers, orderlies, and a couple of aurors. At least two dozen witches and wizards were left lifeless in their wake.

"Language." Hermione gasped weakly, tears building in her eyes as she noticed the pair of brunette twins she met in Diagon Alley. She remembered that sunny day perfectly, the young girls were half-bloods whose muggleborn mother died in Azkaban. They were scheduled to start Hogwarts but instead they would be going to Beauxbaton's and they excitedly asked her opinion on many of their course books. The precocious girls wanted to make sure they didn't miss out on anything just because of a change in schools. She couldn't stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks as she slowly recognized more of the still bodies, witches and wizards that thanked her for saving them. Guilt settled heavily in her chest, she remembered being so annoyed at the time, she felt suffocated by their constant praise. Now she wished-

"We need to go." Draco hissed, pulling her away from her morbid thoughts. Blearily she looked up at Draco to find his eyes filled with pain and fear. Shaking her head she darted forward, wand raised to attack the remaining death eaters from behind.


	19. Chapter 19

Hermione was only able to cast one stunner before the death eaters noticed they were being flanked. In a synchronized motion, they all appeared to explode in a cloud of black smoke, throwing the bright lobby into suffocating darkness. Suddenly, she found herself wrapped in a set of strong arms that pulled her down to the floor. She opened her mouth to scream but it was quickly stifled by the assailant covering her mouth. Whipping her head around, she threw an elbow into her attacker's side.

"Fucking...wanking...cunt...bollocks..." A very familiar voice wheezed into her hair but did not release her from his hold.

"Malfoy?!" Hermione's shriek came out muffled behind Draco's hand and his grip tightened around her waist. He roughly dragged her with him until they were pressed behind the remains of the welcome witch desk.

"Fucking stay still, Granger!" Draco whispered urgently against her cheek, he slowly lowered the hand over her mouth before continuing. "They're not done yet, it's a tactic to get behind the aurors."

"We need to-" Hermione was cut off by a blinding white light and a deafening explosion, instinctively she curled her body into Draco's with her hands raised to shield her eyes.

" _Sensibalu_ s." Draco whispered, waving his wand beside her ear making Hermione's hearing and sight come back with jarring clarity. He did the same charm on himself as she turned her head to the side, finding the corridor lit up in spell fire. It was the death eaters against two aurors, the healers and medi-witches left lifeless at their feet.

" _Bombarda_!" Hermione shouted when she stumbled to her feet. The floor beneath the death eaters exploded, the heavy tiles throwing the hooded figures into the air.

"Fucking pain in the arse witch." Draco grumbled as he too got to his feet with his wand raised. With a flourish he conjured a transparent lopsided bubble of gooey, slick fluid, he flicked his wand and the liquid went flying down the corridor, covering the death eaters.

"Fucking traitor!" A feminine voice called out from behind her mask as she and her comrades appeared to be stuck and flailing on the floor. "Mal-"

"'Mione!" Ron and Harry rushed forward to join the aurors in their attempts to bind the death eaters struggling to strip off their heavy black robes. The shortest one was able to free herself first, exposing her garish pink skirt suite and she waved her wand in a flurry. The corridor was bathed in a blinding light once again but the effects didn't seem to last quite as long.

"Rush..." A deep voice hissed out amongst the pile of black cloaks. Before anyone could react the corridor was filled with identical plumes of black smoke and maniacal laughter. Hermione cringed as the some death eaters dove at her and Draco, feeling their magic brush against her skin made her stomach turn unpleasantly.

" _Stupefy_!" Voices echoed against the stone walls but their spells went right through the swirling gusts of smoke as ten separate apparitions zoomed right past them out of the lobby.

There was absolute silence in the wake of the attack; the pair of aurors immediately disappeared into the floo. Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were left alone to search for any wounded. Hermione impatiently waved her best friends away, wanting a moment alone to collect her thoughts. By the time the healers entered the lobby, they already determined there were no survivors. The death eaters blitzed the lobby full of witches and wizards, destroying the airy room with explosive spells. Hermione was the first to fall to her knees right beside the young twins, burying her face in her hands as she cried.

"Granger." Draco whispered as he pushed the healer, who just finished closing the large wound in his side, out of his way so that he could kneel beside the distraught witch. "We need to get you healed."

"Oi!" Ron shouted across the lobby where he stood with Harry moving bodies out of the way for healers and aurors.

"I could have-" Hermione whimpered but Draco shook his head furiously.

"You couldn't have done anything." Draco snapped sternly, pushing a bloody strand of hair away from her face. "By the time we got in here it was already too late."

"But if I-" She croaked, her eyes wide and glassy as she stared up at him miserably.

"Come on, Granger." Draco pulled her to her feet with his good arm; his wand hand was tucked carefully into his vest until he could have a healer check his shoulder. "We need to get you healed before we check on your parents."

"Oi!" Ron shouted again as he stomped over to the where the blond had a supportive arm around Hermione's waist. At the mention of her parents she nodded and seemed to perk up until the angry redhead stood in front of them with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I don't like repeating myself, Weasley." Draco snarled, feeling exhausted and uneasy because he couldn't defend himself. He was practically supporting the petite witch and he was positive that the shoulder of his wand arm was dislocated.

"Ron, I need to go see my parents." Hermione mumbled weakly, feeling light headed and nauseous.

"'Mione, what are you doing?" Ron demanded, moving to block their path when the blond tried to steer them towards a group of healers.

"Weasley, I think I already told you to fuck off." Draco snapped harshly, the healers were already transferring the bodies and he didn't think she would stay on her feet much longer with the way she was leaning on him.

"No! Let her go, Ferret!" Ron shouted angrily as he lunged forward, intent to literally rip her from the Slytherin's arms.

"Don't touch me." Hermione whispered coldly, making her former boyfriend pause just before his hands reached her bruised and battered arms. When he opened his mouth to plead with the petite witch, her eyes rolled back in her head and she went limp in Draco's arms.

"Fuck!" Draco exclaimed, his knees almost buckling under the sudden weight. He was quick to pull the wand from the curly knot on top of her hair and with a simple flourish, Hermione levitated off ground beside him. "Get the fuck out of the way!"

"Bu-" Ron started but Draco shouldered past him with Hermione floating at his side, still unconscious and unnaturally pale.

"What's wrong with her?" One of the medi-witches rushed forward with her wand already out. The petite blonde witch started casting diagnostic spells by the time Draco lowered Hermione onto a conjured cot.

"The wall outside exploded behind her...I think she used her face to attack one of the death eaters, broke his mask." Draco hissed through clenched teeth, groaning as he lowered himself into a seat beside the unconscious witch. "I didn't see her get hit with any spells; I was...a little preoccupied."

"Mm..." The medi-witch nodded absently, as she watched her wand produce swirling vapors that spelled out runes and symbols he didn't understand. "You need to be healed as well?"

Draco actually hesitated while the older witch pulled multi colored phials from her black leather bag, lining them up on the small table connected to the cot. His dilemma was answered for him as an elderly healer in lime green robes bustled forward and silently waved his hand to show him his injuries. "I think my shoulder is dislocated."

"You'll also need a salve for those cuts and bruises." The elder wizard spoke as he roughly jabbed Draco's shoulder with his wand.

"Fuck!" Draco exclaimed loudly over the pop of his shoulder sliding into the socket. Aurors and healers paused to send him looks of disdain, not that he cared. "Fucking...cunt! Fucktitswankercocksucker!"

"You kiss your death eater mummy with that mouth?" A snarky auror jibed as he brushed past them with a sneer. Before Draco could retort, the auror already disappeared down the corridor with a dramatic flourish of his magenta robes.

"Thanks." Draco breathed out and nodded, feeling much better as the healer waved his wand over him. Suddenly, his body was no longer sore and his shoulder to elbow of his wand arm was numb.

"Is this really Hermione Granger?" The medi-witch whispered with wide eyes once she finished applying a green paste to the unconscious witch's head.

"Yeah...actually, I need to bring her up to her parents' room." Draco nodded absently as he stood shakily, ignoring the stares of his intended's best friends. He didn't think he could feel more relieved when he saw that they were waylaid by the head auror and the Minister for Magic. The last thing he needed was for The-Man-Who-Conquered and his ginger growth to start shouting at him in front of aurors and the Minister for Magic.

"Yes, I'm actually on the rota for that floor." The healer nodded with a grim smile, he flicked his wand over Hermione once before turning to Draco. "Would you like me to bring you directly there?"

The kindly wizard apparated Draco and Hermione directly into the Shafiq's room while the petite witch remained prone and unconscious on the conjured stretcher. The blond noticed something was off right away and pulled his wand. He felt bile rise in his throat when he took a step forward to find Antonio Shafiq lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. The healer bustled past him, immediately levitating him back onto his bed and attempting to heal the wound on his head.

"I thought this room was warded?" Draco demanded, stumbling forward with his fists clenched at his sides.

"All of the wards that were active in the entire hospital dropped moments before they blew away the entrance." The healer shook his head sadly, tapping a silver panel above the Shafiqs' bed with his wand. Within moments a plump, elderly witch wearing light purple robes rushed into the room pushing a trolley. The matron wasted no time in opening one of the many drawers to collect an assortment of different colored potion phials.

"You." She paused, looking over Draco critically for a moment before throwing open a small cabinet where she grabbed a round tub of bright blue ointment. She tossed it over her shoulder in his general direction without even turning around. The matron then turned to another set of drawers and grabbed four identical phials, tossing them all to the blond. Draco stumbled slightly as he snatched the missiles out of the air. "Apply the salve liberally, the potions should perk you up, my lad. Four hours between doses, should keep you on your feet till bed."

"Madam Hoffer, I need-" The healer started but the witch was already shoving potions phials into his hand.

Draco felt immediate relief after he downed one of the offered potions, Madam Hoffer lined up plenty of phials beside Hermione before abruptly rushing from the room without a backwards glance. The healer was mumbling furiously under his breath, staring down at the unconscious wizard with a concerned frown. Draco watched curiously as he conjured a long bandage that wrapped itself around Antonio's head, completely covering everything above his eyes.

"Is he alright?" Draco asked as he pulled the top from the ointment, not wasting any time in spreading the cool paste on his bruised skin. He let out a sigh of relief at the instant tingle he felt when the salve started to work.

"Sorry, Mr. Malfoy." The healer shook his head regretfully, using his wand to make notations on the charts. "I can only speak to the family listed on their charts."

"I'm going to marry their daughter, that witch right there!" Draco snapped harshly, pointing at the unconscious Hermione. "I'm bloody sure he didn't just roll off the bed!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy but the only people I'm authorized to speak to about their condition is their daughter and Minister Shacklebot." The healer spoke firmly, narrowing his eyes at the impertinent young man. Just as Draco opened his mouth to argue three aurors stormed into the room, Ronald Weasley right behind them.

"Draco Malfoy, we have reason to believe you are involved in the attack on St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries." The tall wizard in the middle spoke clearly, with obvious authority and a hint of smugness. The blond auror to his right stepped forward with a pair of magical suppression hand cuffs and the balding auror on his left raised his wand with a cruel smile on his face. "If you will come with us, we will have a solicitor meet you at the ministry."

* * *

 **Is it just me or are there way less story updates since they stopped sending notification emails? It makes me sad.  
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	20. Chapter 20

**5/11 Before you read any further: I posted four chapters while the notification emails were not working.**

 **Yay for fixing their shit!**

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Draco was silent for a moment as the auror took another cautious step towards him, he shouldn't have gotten involved. His first instinct had been to run, why didn't he just leave? His eyes darted to the unconscious witch involuntarily and he let out a sigh. Maybe she wasn't a completely new witch; she still appeared to be the same impulsive Gryffindor. He knew he shouldn't have entangled himself in the confrontation but how could he let her rush after death eaters alone? There were few things his parents agreed on and one of them was that ' _Malfoys always protect their own._ ' How any times had he seen his father jump in front of a curse for his mother even though he couldn't stand the witch most of the time? During the time the Dark Lord and his most favored followers lived in his ancestral home, he could almost believe that his parents cared for each other, that they were a normal family.

"Why would I be involved? I fought against them." Draco drawled arrogantly with a raise brow when the auror stood just inches away from him, taunting him by dangling the rune engraved cuffs in front of his face.

"We were informed by an eyes witness that you were assisting your comrades when-" The auror was pulling a long parchment from his pocket so that he could make notes but he was rudely cut off by Ronald Weasley pushing past them.

"What did you do to 'Mione?!" Ron demanded when his eyes landed on her unconscious form, he stumbled to her cot and fell heavily to his knees beside her. "He did this, Stebbins! Malfoy dragged her off and did something to her."

"Weasley, we can ge-" The tall auror with the parchment, Stebbins, tried to calm the irate redhead and nodded in understanding. Draco belatedly realized it wasn't just any auror but the head auror, the same wizard who rallied for the Wizengamot to sentence him to the dementor's kiss. He could remember the look on his face when they passed down their judgement, he honestly couldn't remember anyone ever looking at him with more hatred in their eyes. That was certainly a standard since he did face the Weasley matron and most of her brood during the testimony of his sixth year. Even the tall, scarred ginger that was attacked by Greyback looked a little sympathetic after everything was said and done.

"No!" Ron shouted furiously, taking her delicate hands in his own desperately. "You have to get him to admit what he did so the healers can fix it!"

"I didn't do anything to her." Draco snarled indignantly, getting out of his chair so that he could tower over the redhead with a menacing glare. "I told you to keep your hands off my intended!"

"Intended?" The balding auror gasped with wide eyes, he took a step forward but Stebbins held out his hand.

"Stebbins, Grey, Reynolds!" Kingsley Shacklebot stepped into the hospital room with a perturbed frown. He placed a hand on the head aurors shoulder then nodded to the auror with the cuffs in hand, last to the wizard at his side. "What is going on here?"

"Malfoy did something to 'Mione!" Ron exclaimed loudly, speaking over the head auror. What he didn't expect was for his declaration to rouse the unconscious witch beside him. She let out a small whimper that was drowned out by the squabbling going on around her.

"I didn't-" Malfoy started but the words died in his throat when Hermione startled him by grabbing onto his arm.

"Out of my way." The old healer, who kept his silence since the aurors joined the room, made himself known by pushing past Ron so that he could wave his wand over Hermione's prone form.

"You've got to listen to me, Kings! I saw Malfoy holding Hermione down when me and Harry joined up with the aurors!" Ron shouted, ignoring the frustrated head auror giving him a stern glare. "He was using dark magic and obviously he's done something to her."

Kingsley looked over to the where the healer and Draco were hovering over Hermione with concern; unable to see her eyes flutter open from his position. His face set in a harsh scowl when he turned to the aurors expectantly. "Is this true?"

"Well, actually we didn't witness the attack ourselves, Minister." Grey spoke up first, throwing his shoulders back and holding his head high. "We were some of the first to respond when Mr. Weasley informed us that Draco Malfoy was aiding his comrades in the attack on the hospital. While we were on our way here he also told us that he has used some kind of dark magic, which obviously violates his terms of probation."

"We were actually in the process of bringing him in when you showed up, Sir." Reynolds nodded emphatically, pointing to the cuffs still in Grey's hands.

"You should also know that someone broke into the Shafiqs' room while the death eaters were blowing up the waiting room." The healer said gravely as he stood up, adjusting his wire rim spectacles. "Unfortunately Minister, I won't be able to go into any more details of their conditions with an audience. Then of course there's Miss. Shafiq-"

He was cut off by the entrance of a graceful stag patronus erupting right through the wall. It galloped twice around the room before landing beside the minister to deliver a message with Harry Potter's panicked voice. "Kings, it's Teddy. Someone's taken Teddy, they _killed_ Andi...and oh, Merlin! _They're all dead_!"

"Stebbins, come with me." Kingsley barked out before turning on his heel. "You two carry on with the investigations."

"Mr. Malfoy, you're going to need to come with us." Grey said firmly once the head auror and the Minister disappeared from sight.

"Here, take my wand." Draco snapped, thrusting his wand at the shocked auror with a sneer. "I'm not leaving her alone with him."

"Me?!" Ron gaped when he saw that the blond was pointing him out. "I'm her boyfriend! You're the one that did something to her, Malfoy!"

"That's enough, gentlemen." Reynolds shouted when Draco opened his mouth to retort. The balding wizard took the offered wand and used a silent priori incantatem, wisps of smoke started to drizzle out of Draco's wand. Grey stepped forward to hide the results from both Ron and Draco, much to their mutual frustration.

"Well?" Ron demanded once the spell was complete, looking at the aurors expectantly. "What did he use on 'Mione?!"

"I didn't use anything on her!" Draco spat harshly, eying the aurors stonily as they gave each other pointed looks.

"Mr. Malfoy, we're going to need to take you in." Reynolds stepped forward, a victorious grin on his face. "You should have already been in Azkaban or, preferably kissed, so I have no doubt the Wizengamot will have any issues sentencing you properly this time. No galleons will get you out of attacking a war heroine, new face or not."

Before Draco could even respond, Grey casted a silent binding spell, securing his arms behind his back. Ron looked on with a smug smile, moving away from the aurors so he could stand watch over Hermione. She shocked them all by sitting up in her cot and holding her head with a groan. The wizards were silent as she blearily examined the potions phials lined up next to her, taking the time to sniff each one before downing a bottle labeled _'invigoration draught'_.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hermione demanded in a low, venomous tone when Ron pulled her into a suffocating hug.

"It's going to be alright, 'Mione." Ron said soothingly into her hair as he ran his hand down her spine. "The aurors have Malfoy and he can't hurt you anymore."

He didn't expect Hermione to roughly shove him away from her with her lip curled in disgust. "Excuse me? Malfoy couldn't hurt me in his wildest dreams."

"She's obviously under the imperius curse." Ron said earnestly while nodding to the skeptical healer emphatically.

The healer looked between the pleading redhead and the petite witch on the cot for a moment of deliberation before he stalked out of the room. "I believe I'm being paged."

"This is ridiculous." Hermione scoffed as she swung her legs over the little cot and stood unsteadily. "I think I would know what the imperius curse feels like and how to fight it since I was taught by a death eater who decided to cast it on my entire class fourth year. Then, there was that whole blood war thing, you might remember."

"Miss. Shafiq-" Auror Reynolds started in such a condescending tone that Hermione turned on him with an icy glare.

"I believe that the last time I saw you was when I was fleeing the ministry." She crossed her arms and leveled him with a superior smirk. "You remember; Hermione Granger, Undesirable No. 2! You were just behind Yaxley so that you could bring me before the muggle registry courts. I also don't recall seeing you at the final battle so before you start blustering about your years of dedicated service to a corrupt ministry, please remember that I do have what some would consider a brilliant memory."

"Now, Miss. Shafiq, there's no need for-" Grey spoke up when he saw his partner lose all the color in his round face.

"No, you can tell me why you're arresting one of the four surviving people that fought to protect St. Mungo's today." Hermione demanded, placing her clenched fists on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently. Draco looked on with a stubbornly indifferent expression on his face, refusing to show how impressed he really was.

"Well you see we checked his wand and the last three spells are classed as dark magic. So, as according to his probation, we need to take him into the ministry for questioning. Also, we have eye witness account that he was assisting his fellow death-" Reynolds droned with a smug, superior smirk on his face.

"Flinging charm, an odd combination of conjuration, a lubrication charm, and a sticky hex, then of course there's the unclassified _sectumsempra_. He was beside me the whole time and I witnessed the last the spells cast from his wand. So, unless you would like to open an investigation on the decorated, deceased Order of Merlin recipient, Severus Snape who created the spell and arrest Harry Potter for using the very same unregistered spell, I think you'll be unbinding Mr. Malfoy." Hermione listed off the spells the blond used rapidly, in a no-nonsense tone. She smiled sweetly as both aurors took a fearful step away from her when they noticed she suddenly had a wand in her hand. "Now."

"There's also the eye witness testimony." Grey said a little unsteadily, glancing over at the gaping redhead for assistance.

"Eyewitness testimony, now is it?" Hermione repeated slowly with a skeptical brow raised before rolling her eyes and flicking her wand, releasing Draco from the spell that bound his hands. When she turned to see the state of her parents, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Her father's head was heavily bandaged and what could be seen of his hospital gown was stained thickly with drying blood. As she took a step forward to get a better look, the smell of acrid pipe smoke hit her nose and almost made her gag. "I'm nearly positive that your witness would need to testify before the Wizengamot with veritaserum for his words to become testimony, you know tested for any ambiguous statements and outright fabrications? What I really want to know is...who _licked_ my mother's face."

The wizards were completely silent in the face of Hermione's rage, she couldn't believe that they were busy bickering with each other while it was obvious her parents were assaulted. After an awkward, silent conversation between the Aurors, Grey stepped forward with his wand held aloft. He obviously didn't expect for Hermione to stand in his path with her own wand. "Miss. Shafiq we just need to check for any magical residue."

"Which would be the healer's signature seeing as he obviously wrapped my father's wounds while he was lying beside my mother. Honestly, arresting wizards for assisting the auror force then using magic over an obviously injured witch without the supervision of a healer! I want you both out." Hermione snapped impatiently, pointing towards the door with her wand.

"Miss. Shafiq, we have a job to do here." Auror Reynolds said in his most authoritative tone but she just shook her head impatiently.

"I believe she said she wants you out." Draco drawled imperiously, moving to stand beside Hermione with a haughty glare. "As this is a private room, I think you should listen to her."

"You can't talk-" Grey blustered angrily but Hermione took a step forward, her stride faltering slightly from the weakness of her injured legs.

"Out!" Hermione shouted angrily, her bright eyes narrowed dangerously as the aurors hesitated. "I'm filing a complaint with Head Auror Stebbins and you better believe I will find this supposed eyewitness!"

"'Mione..." Ron started nervously when the aurors fled the room but he found his lips hexed shut and his former girlfriend staring at him as if he were a stranger.

"I better not find out you had anything to do with those false allegations. Most of what I heard was still foggy and jumbled but I think I heard enough." Hermione whispered softly, her mouth pursed and her eyes shining with disappointment. "We just fought a war against a tyrant and a corrupt ministry. You using your status as a war hero to get your way is not something my best friend would do."

"I'm just looking out for you." Ron said earnestly after the hex wore off, making Hermione's expression soften. "It's obvious all this pureblood nonsense has gone to your head. I don't think those people are really your parents, I've worked it all out...now, come over here and we'll get you to a mind healer. They can work out whatever they've done to make you believe all these crazy lies. You don't understand some of the dark magic these old pureblood families can do because you're a muggleborn. C'mon, you know me..."

The more he talked, the more confused Hermione became. Draco stood stiffly at her side, looking from the rambling redhead to his wand that aurors left behind on the table next to the door. The blond willed the wand to his hand but he had never been exceptionally skilled at wandless magic, much to his hypocrite father's shame. Hermione noticed that her best friend was getting slightly hysterical the longer he ranted, coming up with wild theories of imposters, death eaters, and dark magic.

"Ron..." Hermione cut off her best friend's rant gently, putting her hands up for silence. "I removed the memory charm myself and I know my magic well enough to recognize my own handiwork. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear but no one has messed with my mind-"

"You don't understand!" Ron blurted out loudly, stomping his foot and raising his wand at her. "I love you and I'm sorry that I wanted some practice for when you got home but you have to stop punishing me. I'm your boyfriend!"

Hermione stood, dumbfounded for a moment staring at Ron's wand pointed at her chest. Draco moved forward to disarm the redhead but Hermione beat him to it by reaching out and snatching the wand from Ron's hands. "I'm not your girlfriend! I've got enough to worry about without you showing up and acting like a bloody imbecile! It's over Ronald Weasley! It was over the moment you decided that you _needed_ to pick up slags at the Leaky!"

Ron hung his head in shame seeing the tears in her bright eyes. "'Mione, I'm so sorry for believing McLaggen. He just raved about what a fantastic shag you were and bragging about how you weren't wearing any knickers under that little pink dress you wore to Slughorn's Yule party. I just worried I wouldn't be enough for you...but I swear I never touched any of them...well, we may have kissed but no-"

What she did next surprised her more than either of the wizards in the room. Hermione stood on her toes and grabbed Draco Malfoy by the face, pulling him in for a harsh, closed mouth kiss. She didn't expect the flow of magic that swept through the room and blew her sweaty, tangled curls around her like the old romantic films she would watch with her mother. She certainly didn't expect the warmth that rushed through her body at the feel of Draco Malfoy's lips on her own. Her eyes closed of their own volition and her hands moved from his face to wrap around his shoulders while Draco pulled her into his hard body with his arms wrapped securely around her waist. He was the first to pull away, his grey eyes wide with shock as he stared down at her with something like dawning realization.

"Oh, fuck." Draco whispered as he took a hurried step back from her, he kept his surprised gaze on her as he backed out of the room, not breaking eye contact until he turned on his heel and fled down the corridor.


	21. Chapter 21

Hermione weakly sat on her parents' bed while touching her lips with her brow furrowed in confusion. She only kissed Draco Malfoy to prove a point to Ron, not because she liked him. _No_ , she nodded her head in confirmation of her thoughts; she did not fancy or even like the blond bigot. Just because she thought he had the capacity to be a decent human being did not mean she suddenly fancied her childhood bully. She just couldn't understand why that kiss elicited such a strong reaction out of her; none of the sweet kisses with Ron ever made her feel that way. Her very first, surprisingly rough kiss with Viktor Krum didn't warrant that much emotion and she hexed him black and blue. It wasn't even exceptionally explicit; it was a fast, closed mouth kiss. She was so wrapped up in her own musings that she forgot that she wasn't alone in the hospital room until she heard Ron falling heavily into one of the large, overstuffed chairs.

"So, that's it then?" Ron asked softly, staring down at his lap with a trembling lip.

"Ron, I can't do this." Hermione sighed, bringing her blood stained hands up to rub her eyes tiredly. She couldn't even look at the despondent redhead; his betrayal filled her with so much sadness and fury. Instead she looked down at her mother's pale face, her red curls were disheveled and there was some kind of dried yellowed substance on her cheek. She could remember looking in the mirror after her torture in Malfoy Manor and even through the tears and dirt she could still make out the spot Greyback licked her cheek. Someone obviously came to visit her parents while the hospital was vulnerable and it filled her with dread because no one even took notice.

"When are we going to talk about this, 'Mione?" Ron asked sadly, wishing he could sit beside her and comfort her the way he would before she went to Australia. Before he listened to Mclaggen and his girlfriend got a new face.

"Ron, please." Hermione pointed to the door without turning around, too focused on smoothing down her mother's hair.

"I'll fix this, 'Mione." Ron vowed in the doorway, staring at the curly haired witch with such intensity that Hermione's hairs on the back of her neck.

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Draco was able to get to the floo without being stopped by any other aurors, even though he did see Harry Potter looking at him confusion. He didn't waste any time at all in tracking down his mother to the sun room. Narcissa Malfoy looked perfectly relaxed sipping her tea and reading a large tome on blood magic and gardening, her favorite subjects. Without preamble he grabbed a heavy bottle of some enchanted liquor his father kept in the cupboard and sat down beside his mother. She looked startled when he didn't even bother with a glass and decided to drink deeply straight from the bottle.

"Something bothering you, my dragon?" Narcissa asked coolly, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow in question.

"Is there anything in the contract that's sealed with a kiss?" Draco croaked after slamming the bottle on the glass table with a heavy thud. He looked to his smiling mother wearily; he really wasn't comforted by her sudden happiness.

"That was very fast work, son." Narcissa commented primly, setting down her cup gently and wiping the sides of her mouth daintily before turning to her son. His disheveled appearance made her brow crease in concern. She could smell the faintest trace of murtlap essence and his ripped, singed suite had her reaching out to him before she could stop herself. "What happened?"

"Death eaters attacked St. Mungo's, Travers and Dolohov caught us just outside the entrance." Draco regretted his blunt statement when his mother visibly flinched as if slapped. It was no secret that Travers had some kind of sick infatuation with his mother because of the many times he begged the Dark Lord for her when his father was incarcerated. When he thought of the numerous depraved fantasies the man loudly described about his mother, he was grateful the Dark Lord used himself to punish his father.

"Its times like this I wish your father still had magic." Narcissa whispered idly, picking up her cup with shaky hands. "He would no doubt have been with his former _brothers_ and maybe he would finally be locked away."

"I don't think any of the death eaters were captured…" He mumbled bitterly, taking another long drink from the bottle before turning back to his mother. "A dozen of them rushed the lobby of St. Mungo's after blasting the muggle entrance open. They were up against two aurors and healers, the patients were slaughtered in seconds. I don't think I ever heard about a more successful raid…Mental witch tried to catch them with a stunner from behind and the aurors were useless even though the death eaters were all stuck to the floor."

"Is she alright?" Narcissa asked hesitantly, shocking her son with the genuine concern lacing her words.

"The healers got her back on her feet; the most lasting injuries will be bruising." Draco nodded his head slowly while his mother's shoulders relaxed and a small smile bloomed on her face. "So, contract?"

"Oh!" She exclaimed, the grin on her face becoming predatory as she settled her empty cup on the saucer. "You've sealed the fidelity clause; Violet told me it's the most amazing feeling. Did you enjoy it, Draco?"

He stared at his mother for a long moment with wide eyes, feeling as if she was asking more about the kiss than the magic that passed between them. "It was pleasant." Draco decided that was a good, neutral response, the last thing he wanted was to get his mother's hopes up. The mental witch did say many times that she wasn't his betrothed.

"Your mark?" Narcissa couldn't keep the eagerness out of her tone, thinking back to Violet and Antonio's relationship. It was so romantic in her mind and she wished it had been the same for herself and Lucius. She found that while she did have certain chemistry with her husband, it quickly faded when Lucius fell into the Dark Lord's service. After a few years, it became clear that his pursuit of power would always trump his loyalty to his family. Thankfully, her son learned that family always came first. She always thought her dragon was more Black than Malfoy, her god daughter would see that too.

"Mother." Draco spat through clenched teeth, his eyes focused on his forearm where he was marked. Without another word he grabbed the bottle and stormed from the room, leaving his incredibly confused mother behind.

* * *

Hermione sat alone with her unconscious parents for more than twenty minutes before she lost her patience and went in search for a familiar auror and healer. She wanted to place her own wards on the door to bar anyone from entering, especially after that daft auror tried to cast magic over her mother. However, she didn't want to stop her parents from getting immediate care while she searched in the event something happened. Her father's head injury looked serious and he somehow appeared even paler, his skin matching the white of his bandages. After a few moments of inner turmoil she left the door alone and stalked down the barren halls.

"'Mione!" Harry called out to his best friend from where he was standing with the minister and Ginny. He rushed forward and pulled her over to his group and she let him because she had never seen him look so upset. His girlfriend didn't look too impressed as the redhead watched Harry hold Hermione's hand and whisper urgently in her ear. "They killed Andi and blew up half the pediatric ward."

"The children?" Hermione gasped, her hands unconsciously moving to cover her mouth in horror.

"That's actually where we got just a little bit of luck; the children were all down in the play room for lunch, except the contagious cases. Even the newborns were taken into the nursery for their meal and midday checkup. A lot of children were made unclaimed wards today." Kingsley spoke up somberly, twisting his hat in hands and looking utterly lost as to what to do next.

"What about Teddy? Wouldn't he have been with the other babies?" Hermione asked urgently then paused as her face scrunched up in confusion. "Why was Teddy here, anyway?"

"He had a summer cold, Andi just wanted to make sure it wasn't anything more serious." Ginny sniffled leaning into Harry and pulling both his arms around her. "Her body was in the waiting room and Teddy's carrier was empty…but there was blood. We don't know if its Teddy's or Andi's yet."

"We'll find him, don't worry, Harry." Hermione said earnestly into her best friend's neck as she embraced both Harry and his girlfriend. She pulled away keeping her hands on their shoulders as she mustered up an encouraging smile. "We've always been able to get through it, now's no different. I'll hit up the library, you'll brood and Ron…"

"Merlin, Hermione!" Harry sighed sadly as her hands fell to her side and her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry; you've got enough going on without worrying about my _manly ponderings."_

"' _Manly ponderings'_?" Ginny couldn't stop the indelicate snort that escaped her throat as she turned to her boyfriend with a raised brow.

"Brooding makes me sound like an angsty teenager." Harry grumbled, his cheeks filling with color as the girls exchanged knowing glances. They all sobered quickly when they remembered where they were.

"Miss. Granger?" Head Auror Stebbins stepped forward looking intimidating and oozing authority as he looked the petite witch from head to toe.

"It's still under debate." Hermione mumbled sheepishly as Kingsley motioned Harry and Ginny to follow him through the archway to playroom.

"I hear you've been giving my aurors problems but Higgins and Walsh swear they would be dead without your assistance. Care to explain?" Stebbins silently waved to where two seats were pushed off to the side. Hermione shrugged before letting out a long suffering sigh and take a seat to begin.

"I know you have bigger problems but someone broke into my parents' private room while the death eaters attacked the entrance and pediatrics. It can't be a coincidence, one of your aurors tried to collect evidence off my comatose mother without a healer present. I sent them away, of course. It was the same wizard that tried to arrest Malfoy for helping us…" Hermione trailed off with a grimace as the head auror glared at her furiously. She knew the head auror wasn't particularly fond of her, he thought that all death eaters should have gotten the kiss, their vaults and properties confiscated with their families thrown in the streets. When she spoke out about the treatment of an eighteen year old with a sentence worse than death over his head, Stebbins complained directly to Minister Shacklebot.

"So, you won't cooperate until your parents are looked over?" Stebbins sneered as he sat back in his seat with his chin resting on his scarred steepled fingers. "I would have thought Hermione Granger would place the greater good of the wizarding world ahead of her own needs."

"Don't you dare talk about the greater good; I lost my childhood for the greater good. I'm asking for you to send one auror to my parents' room with a healer to collect evidence of a bloody crime that took place at the same time as the massacre downstairs." Hermione retorted in a matter of fact tone, she kept her fists tightly clenched in her lap and raised her chin defiantly, not breaking eye contact with the older wizard. After a moment the head auror nodded, silently raising his hand and signaling one of his aurors over. A young witch with bright blonde hair and an even brighter smile essentually skipped towards them. Hermione couldn't help but blink at the eagerness that was practically oozing from the young auror, considering the amount of death that occurred around them.

"You're Hermione Granger!" The blonde exclaimed and thrust her hand into Hermione's face in lieu of an introduction. "I've heard all about your exploits, of course. Tonks always raved about your intelligence and then The Pro-"

"Brady." Stebbins cut her off sternly, his steely eyes narrowed at the young witch. The blonde seemed to realize she was gushing enthusiastically in front of her boss and her posture went rigid.

"Forgive me, Miss. Granger-or do you prefer Shafiq?" Brady said in a much calmer voice, widening her stance and clasping her hands behind her back. "I'm very sorry for forgetting myself; you're a bit of a legend with everything you did against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Oh, I'm Kaitlin Brady, Junior Auror just finished academy."

Hermione mustered up a weak, strained smile before offering her hand to the blonde. "You can call me Hermione but really I didn't do much. It was all Harry."

"Brady, you will escort Healer Gibbon up to the Shafiqs' room and investigate a possible break in then you will ward the room so that only authorized personnel have access." Head Auror Stebbins ordered briskly, the blonde's eyes widened comically and for a moment it looked like she forgot how to breathe. She grabbed Hermione's hand and shook it enthusiastically before she nodded to her boss and rushed off to find the healer. When they were alone he turned to Hermione with a raised brow.

"Would you like my memory?" Hermione asked slowly, twisting her hands in her lap nervously. The cool, calculating gleam in the auror's eye made her squirm in her seat and she looked anywhere but him. She could see Harry and Ginny having a furious, whispered conversation with the Minister and aurors were rushing around with seemingly no destination.

"Yes, after you go through the events of the attack in your own words, from the beginning." Stebbins nodded as he sat back in his chair with his note pad and enchanted quill poised to record. Hermione sighed softly; it was going to be a long night.


	22. Chapter 22

**No Draco or Hermione this chapter. Little bit of backstory about wats going on outside of the man story.**

"Harry, I need to leave soon." Ginny interrupted Harry's staring contest with the large stack of heavy tomes. He had been trying to decide where to start for over an hour; Hermione just left him with a list of ideas of where to find a locator spell.

"Sorry, Gin." Harry looked at her hovering in the doorway sheepishly. Mrs. Weasley refused to let Ginny move into Grimmauld Place with Harry, she was hardly subtle with her pointed hints about planning times and color schemes. Harry thought it was odd, considering that Ginny technically wasn't even finished with her education. However, since Hogwarts would not be opening for the coming year it looked like Ginny would just need to join him at the ministry to test out for their NEWTs. "I've never been the best at research."

"Is learning by osteoporosis the best way to research?" Ginny smirked, remembering Hermione's many jokes about the boys falling asleep on their books.

"I think it's called osmosis." Harry smiled fondly as a pretty blush crept up her cheeks as she shyly shuffled forward. He none to gently wrapped her up in his arms so that he could pull her into his lap and bury his face in her strawberry scented locks. "I wish Hermione was here, she always had a way of figuring out just what we needed to do."

Ginny tensed in his arms, her heart stopping in her chest while she stared down at their intertwined hands. "So, 'Mione certainly is quite fit now, innit?"

"Well, she's always been beautiful." Harry mumbled dismissively as he flipped open the nearest book and groaned, it was in Latin. His words did nothing to assuage her newfound worry; instead she looked down at the boy she had been in love with since she was a child. Hermione was always one of the boys and the redhead's friend. She was the one Ginny could come to with her woes over Harry never noticing her and be comforted. Now, she wasn't so sure.

"But Harry I was thinking…" Ginny smiled slowly, pulling the book from his hands and drawing his attention back to her.

"Gin, I really need to find a way to locate Teddy." Harry turned his agonized gaze to his girlfriend. "He's my godson and I couldn't protect him."

"Let the aurors do their job." She said soothingly, cupping his cheeks in her hands so that he couldn't look away.

"Kingsley and Stebbins made it clear that they needed to focus on capturing the death eaters." Harry whispered sadly, covering her hands with his own on his cheeks.

"The same people who took Teddy." Ginny nodded encouragingly, feeling slightly better when he leaned into her touch. "Maybe you should take the Minister up on his offer to join the department?"

"Stebbins hates me." Harry sighed, dropping his ands leaning back in his seat, away from her comforting hands. " _Hates_ me and Hermione after we spoke out against his ' _Kiss Them All'_ initiative. I get that he hates death eaters and all but he was talking about exiling a quarter of the population and leaving them desolate."

"Well, this wouldn't have happened if-" Ginny started but the dark look on his face made the words die on the tip of her tongue. She realized what she had been about to say but before she could back track she was pushed none too gently from his lap.

"You remember Adrian Pucey?" Harry asked but apparently it was a rhetorical question because he continued before she could respond. "Stebbins wanted to exile him, his French wife and newborn after draining his vaults and seizing his properties. You know why?" He paused, his bright green eyes ablaze at the injustice of it all. Ginny opened her mouth to respond but he shook his head in frustration. "He left the country after graduation, came back for the cleanup. He didn't fight on either side but because his older brother died in the final battle, Stebbins wanted to use Pucey as an example."

"Well, obviously he was over reaching." Ginny snapped, offended by the hostility in her boyfriend's tone. "You can't say that all death eaters don't deserve the kiss! It was probably all marked death eaters that blew up St. Mungo's!"

"So, Draco Malfoy deserved the kiss?" Harry snorted with a roll of his eyes, looking away from his girlfriend in disgust. "I was on the astronomy tower, he didn't want to do it but they threatened his parents if he refused. He didn't identify us at the manor!"

"Then he should have gone to Dumbledore!" Ginny shouted with her hands on her hips, glaring at him furiously. "Because of him, Bill is scarred for life! Because of death eaters like him, Fred is dead! I know you wouldn't understand but a lot of people lost their families-"

"So, because I lost my family in the first war it doesn't count?" Harry asked coldly, looking away from his girlfriend.

"That's not what I mean-" Ginny tried to explain but Harry just held up his hand for silence.

"Don't bother, you need to leave for the night anyway." Harry shook his head in disgust before turning on his heel to stalk out of the room.

* * *

"Mum?" Ron asked hesitantly, stepping into the kitchen where his mother was busy whisking something that smelled deliciously like apples. Molly Weasley paused for just a moment to look at her son hovering in the doorway. She was struck silent for a moments as a look of pure misery overwhelming the redheaded wizards face as he stumbled into the room and fell heavily onto the bench seat at the kitchen table.

"Ronnie?" Molly asked softly, using his childhood nickname for the first time in years, she pulled a freshly baked apple pie from the little stove and placed it on the table. She knew something was wrong when her youngest son didn't even react to one of his favorite desserts being cut up and placed in front of him. "What's wrong? Is this about that horrible article that Skeeter witch wrote?"

"No, it's 'Mione." Ron started sadly, surprised that his mother didn't say more about the article. He was misquoted, he may have accused Draco Malfoy of using dark magic and helping death eaters but he would never say something like that about Hermione. "I'm worried about her; she won't even talk to me and...her parents have arranged her marriage to Malfoy."

"I'm sure that once her parents realize what kind of wizard Draco Malfoy really is they will have no problem dissolving the arrangement." Molly nodded in understanding, placing a set of cutlery in front of her son but he didn't even glance at his plate. "I had an arranged marriage when I was young, you know."

"What?" Ron exclaimed with wide eyes, Molly chuckled at the bewildered expression on his face.

"Oh yes, to Reginald Avery." She smiled sadly as she served herself a healthy slice of pie before sitting down beside her son. "I knew him quite well when we were young but as we got older it became obvious we just weren't well suited."

"You were engaged to a death eater?" Ron asked slowly, not quite believing his mother's words while he stabbed the flaky crust of his pie.

"Oh no!" Molly laughed lightly before taking a bite of her pie. "We never got to that stage, never even courted. When my parents realized that the Averys were still pandering about eliminating the tainted and pandering to some new Dark Lord they severed the contract and paid out the dowry. Though, by that point I was already in love with your father so before they could find another suitable match, we eloped."

"So, you're saying that if I can convince the Shafiqs that Malfoy is a dark wizard, they'll break the betrothal and she can be with me?" Ron asked hopefully, feeling much better suddenly. It did disturb him to find out that his mother almost married a death eater but it explained why she was cut off. The Prewetts were supposed to be an incredibly well-to-do pureblood family but they were never mentioned inside the burrow. Even her late twin brothers, Gideon and Fabian, were a taboo subject.

"No." Molly cut into his musings harshly, making his freeze in his seat with his fork barely an inch from his mouth. "You will not involve yourself at all. The contract between the two families is just that, between them."

"Mum…" Ron sat back in his chair, taken back and his pie once again forgotten. "What if the Malfoys won't let her go? Wasn't Grandmother Cedrella arranged with the Malfoy family before she married Grandfather?"

"Your Grandfather Septimus was a sick wizard!" Molly shrieked abruptly, getting up from her seat and collecting both plates from the table before throwing them in the sink with so much force they shattered. "Go to your room, Ronald!"

He stayed rooted to his seat while his mother started throwing the porcelain shards into the bin with her bare hands rather than use magic. "Mum?"

"Your room, Ronald! And I don't want to hear any more about you involving yourself in another family's business!" Molly shouted angrily, not even turning to look at her youngest son as he ran from the room in fear. It wasn't uncommon for his mother to lose her temper, or even raise her voice unexpectedly especially since the final battle. Losing one of her sons made emotionally volatile at times, swinging from extreme highs to lows with little warning.

"Ron." A very familiar voice whispered just as he made it to the second floor landing. His father was standing in the doorway of what used to be Fred and George's room and he silently waved his youngest son inside.

"Dad, what are you doing in here?" Ron asked hesitantly as he felt a shiver run down his spine, he liked to pretend this room didn't exist anymore. His mother would spend hours in the doorway, mumbling under her breath about ' _finding the strength'_. George couldn't go near the room without going into one of his moods where he sat with a mirror on his right side.

"I heard you asking about my mother and father." Arthur said slowly once Ron was fully in the room, he closed the door and erected a privacy ward so they wouldn't be interrupted.

"Yeah, everyone knows that Grandfather Septimus saved Grandmother from a Malfoy marriage." Ron nodded as he stood awkwardly between the two twin beds in the room, not really wanting to sit on either.

"Well, that's true…" Arthur said reluctantly, looking decidedly uncomfortable as he sat down on George's bed gingerly. "Although, Abraxas Malfoy didn't actually start courting her so…"

"What does that mean?" Ron asked eagerly, wondering how much time he had left before Malfoy attempted more with Hermione.

"While Abraxas was off sowing wild oats, my father was wooing my mother. With a little help, they became pregnant with my older brother Billius, therefore nullifying her obligation to the Malfoy family. The contract was carried on to the next generation, of course but my mother was free." Arthur stated with a grim smile, he didn't like talking about his parents and brothers. It filled him with too much pain because his family was all taken from him; his mother during childbirth, his brothers and father due to death eater attacks.

Ron was quiet for a moment as he leaned against the small bedside table between the beds, crossing his ankles. "What do you mean by a little help?"

"I think sometimes you're most like me out of all your brothers, you love with your whole heart and it knows no bounds." Arthur sighed, looking just a little wistfully towards the door. "You know your mother was quite a spitfire in school, I never thought I stood a chance. It wasn't until I made a complete fool of myself in front of the entire school that she went on a date with me. I didn't have the galleons for all the little trinkets I knew she deserved but it never seemed to bother her. It wasn't until after we were bonded that she admitted she slipped me a potion so that I would loudly admit my feelings for her in front of the entire school. She says that I made up for my lack of wealth when I gave her our children but…"

"But?" Ron encouraged his father to continue with a small, confused smile.

"The Weasleys are known for their…virility but it's not all natural." Arthur looked sheepish as he pulled a small green phial from his pocket. "It's a family secret, my father was the one to brew it and I've never been much for potions. He made one for each of my brothers, I only found this one. I assume that they already used theirs or they were just lost."

Ron stared at the innocuous little bottle when his father placed it into his hand, still unsure that he fully understood what his father was telling him. "You want me to potion Hermione?"

* * *

"Чертова сучка1!" Dolohov screamed at Deloris as she attempted to seal the wounds on his side. One of his comrades already poured multiple phials of blood replenishing potion down his throat and he was slowly regaining his strength.

"Move!" Thoros snarled, pushing the short woman out of his way impatiently. He pulled his wand and with a flourish, liquid silver bled from the tip of his wand. Cloaked figures crowded around him as he used his wand to shape the substance and with a sudden movement it was shoved onto the stump of Antonin Dolohov's wrist.

"Merlin…" One of them breathed in awe, speaking for the crowd and barely heard over the agonized wails of the injured man.

Thoros wasn't impressed, he grabbed Antonin's face and roughly jerked him closer by his chin. "What did they use?"

" _Sectumsempra."_ He hissed through bloodied, clenched teeth. The elder wizard shoved him roughly on his side, exposing the long, wounds along his ribcage that were so deep he could see the white of his bones.

" _Vulnera Sanentur…"_ Thoros chanted softly. He traced the wounds with the tip of his wand, closing the lacerations on each pass and repetition of the spell.

"Thank you, Droog." Antonin breathed, a crooked smile breaking out on his weathered and haggard face. Deloris came forward and handed him a goblet of water, which he took silently. He spit the pale pink water directly on the floor, staining the priceless carpet further.

"Who did you piss off?" Thoros asked curiously, still feeling the high of seeing Violet after so many years.

"Mafloy Jr." Dolohov spat angrily, pulling himself to his feet with a grimace, ignoring Deloris's offered hands. "He didn't like the way I touched his little pet."

"She was quite the looker!" Travers jeered from him place on a comfortable looking sofa, holding a cold glass of whiskey to his aching head. "Get a feel in, didja?"

"I got to see her pretty little knickers, she smelle-" Antonin didn't get to finish his boasting because before he realized what was happening, he found himself on his back with an enraged Thoros Nott hovering over him. He was surprised at the strength in the old wizard; he was after all pushing eighty years. When he opened his mouth to tell his comrade where to go, the glowing tip of Thoros' wand was pointed at his forehead.

" _legilimens_." The elder wizard purred, entering his mind with such ease, it rendered their audience silent. Dolohov could do nothing as Thoros experienced the whole encounter with him; feel, smell, taste, and emotion every moment. It was nothing like the Dark Lord where he slithered in and made him feel slimy and used. No, Thoros ripped right through his defenses and somehow immediately took complete control of his mind.

"What the fuck was that?" Antonin demanded after what felt like an eternity, blinking his eyes furiously to clear his vision. Thoros was still perched on his chest, making his lungs burn from lack of air.

"Shouldn't have done that, my lad." Thoros' lip curled in disgust and his dark eyes were ablaze with fury and when he waved his wand that was the last thing Antonin saw before his world went black.

* * *

The Italian sat at the bar of The Leaky Cauldron, wondering just how it had all gone so wrong. In his sixth year, Theodore Nott broke his heart when he offered up no objections to arrangement his father handed him. It wasn't fair that during the day he would be forced to watch Theo escort Pansy to classes, kiss her fingertips reverently, and act like the perfect pureblood fiancé. Then, in the dark of night he would crawl into his bed and whisper promises he couldn't keep against Blaise's skin. It wasn't fair and the torture went on until even after the battle of Hogwarts. He returned from Italy at the first opportunity when he found out exactly what Theo had to endure in school. When it felt like the world was ending above him, he had to stand to the side while Theo sat with a sniveling, crying Pansy after she got the entirety of Slytherin house literally thrown in the dungeons.

The few weeks they spent alone in Theo's empty manor were not nearly enough. They didn't have to worry about their dorm mates finding them in bed together and they could lounge together for hours. He couldn't go back to what they once were, what he once was. Blaise refused to show how much it broke his heart when he packed up his school trunk, ignoring Theo's many pleas. They were the same promises that he had been hearing for over a year, in the dead of night when no one else could possibly see or hear.

"Zabini." A familiar voice grunted as the stool beside him was suddenly filled with the stocky body of Gregory Goyle.

"Greg." Blaise nodded his head before taking a long drink from his butterbeer and looking away.

"Haven't seen you around." Greg grunted, barely heard over the excited chatter of the busy pub. Tom stumbled forward with a scowl, sliding two glasses of fire whiskey in front of them. "Too busy buggering Nott?"

Blaise cast a cursory glance around to make sure no one overheard. Even if he refused to be Theo's dirty little secret, he didn't want to out the boy he fell in love with. "Jealous Crabbe's not plundering for your treasure anymore?" He sneered and watched with interest as Greg clenched his fist so tightly it shattered the thick, dingy glass.

"Fuck you." Greg snarled, he quickly threw a couple of coins on the bar when he saw Tom eying them with contempt. Not expecting out waiting for an answer the angry wizard got off the stool and stormed from the pub, his bleeding hand leaving a trail behind him.

"Fucking blinkered twat." Blaise mumbled under his breath once the chatter picked back up, he turned to Tom who was still watching him with barely veiled disgust. His mother was still in Italy, still prowling for her newest husband and he wouldn't be able to get a portkey until the next morning. "Tom!"

"Whatchu want?" Tom limped over the Italian with a resigned scowl on his face. "Still got a full glass."

"No, I need a room for the night." Blaise spoke just loud enough for Tom to hear, hoping not to call attention to himself.

Tom laughed, throwing his bald head back with braying laughter that drew the attention of all the patrons sitting at the bar. "Aint no room for death eaters."

"I'm not a death eater." Blaise spar through clenched teeth and turned his exposed smooth, tan forearm face up on the dingy bar. That didn't appear to satisfy the barkeep who just smirked and turned away from the young wizard.

Blaise wasn't sure how long he sat at the bar in silence, unsure of what to do. He was used to the scathing looks but he always assumed it had more to do with Theo then himself. After all, he had no ties to the Dark Twat, he told Theo many times that all that blood supremacy nonsense was shit. His morose thoughts were interrupted by a slightly slurred, but surprisingly cheerful voice.

"Don't you look spiffy?"

* * *

"Fucking bitch" If the translation is off, I googled it

New lap top! So, I have a couple chapters all written out and honestly, I didn't feel like fleshing them out again on my Ipad. It's a pain and…I missed Word. So…without further susense…double update!


	23. Chapter 23

Hermione sat with Stebbins for over an hour while he fired off questions about what she was doing with Malfoy prior to the attack. She was surprised that he seemed more interested in hearing about Draco Malfoy willingly entering he muggle world for a basket of chips than their movements during the attack. Finally, after a mind healer extracted the memory of the battle, he allowed her to leave to check on her parents. Junior Auror Brady was standing outside her parents' room like one of the queen's guard, stiff and alert. She was lucky to get away quickly, too tired to stick around for a rehash of her activities during the war. The healer updated her on her parents' conditions, her mother was unharmed but her father received a nasty blow to the head that resulted in some brain swelling. Antonio would need an intensive round of potions but otherwise should wake up around the same time as his wife but there were no guarantees. The healer provided her with a thick, foul smelling paste to apply to her cuts and bruises before she left the hospital.

"Tomorrow." Hermione whispered when she flooed into the sitting room of Shafiq Stronghold, ready to fall into her bed. She knew she had so much to do, between the betrothal contract, Teddy, her parents, and going to her muggle home for her favorite jumper, even figuring out what to do about the muggle family of the real Hermione Granger, there just wasn't enough time in the day. House elves immediately rushed her but she couldn't think of anything at the moment, only the delightfully comfortable bed that was calling her name.

 **FROM GOLDEN GIRL TO DARK LADY IN THE MAKING**

 _Hermione Granger's fall from Grace._

 _Rita Skeeter_

 _I, Rita Skeeter, was the lucky reporter to break the earth shattering news to the wizarding world that our famous salacious muggleborn, Hermione Granger, was actually in fact Sienna Shafiq, Pureblood Princess of the Sacred 28. Her parents, Antonio and Violet Shafiq supposedly went into hiding when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named threatened their family while Violet Shafiq was still pregnant. However, this reporter has found that they somehow arranged a marriage between their daughter and the illustrious, dark and debonair Malfoy heir. As any good witch knows, betrothals take months, sometimes years to negotiate so the question remains; were they hiding from You-Know-Who or just waiting for their daughter to be old enough to take the throne?_

 _It is no coincidence that after Antonio and Violet offered an exclusive interview with The Daily Prophet before that they both fell into a mysterious magical coma, leaving their only daughter in full control of the Shafiq estate and vaults. Anyone who has met the newly minted Pureblood Princess can attest to the shrewd and sometimes cruel demeanor of the former Hermione Granger._

" _Yes, I'm scarred for life all because of a terrible curse Hermione Granger cast on an underground dueling circuit. It was obviously dark magic."_ _A former classmate that wishes to remain nameless told this reporter in an exclusive interview._

 _Unsanctioned dueling clubs are of course prohibited and grounds for immediate expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I implore concerned parents to appeal to our school governors to look into the ongoing circuit for the safety of our youth._

" _She had some kind of beast as a familiar; we thought she got tips from the groundskeeper. Obviously, she used a dark bloodletting ritual to bind the abomination."_ _Cho Chang, a vivacious Ravenclaw Alumni tells me, Rita Skeeter, in an exclusive interview_

 _There has been a ban on experimental creature breeding since 1965. This is not the first account of a brand new illegal magical creature coming out of Hogwarts. We were introduced the Blast-Ended Skrewt, developed by half giant Rubeus Hagrid, the grounds keeper turned Care of Magical Creatures Professor. Even though he was expelled after less than two years of magical education, he somehow combined a manticore and a fire crab to create the monster that grew up to ten feet high in only seven months. This reporter saw firsthand one of these fearsome creatures nearly dismember The-Man-Who-Conquered at the tender age of thirteen._

 _Dark familiar blood binding rituals were outlawed by the Wizengamot in 1792 after Rufus Blixby bound a harem of Veelas to his family. Perhaps she was practicing for her plans to create her own house elf army? Miss. Shafiq's exploits with tampering with elven bonds are infamous after she tried to organize a revolt, SPUNK, in her second year._

 _After the devastating attack on St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, an eye witness testified seeing the new Dark Lady storming into the lobby after a dozen death eaters alongside her Dark Prince. It is reported that Draco Malfoy used some kind of dark magic that allowed all of his comrades to flee to freedom and it was only on Miss. Shafiq's word that he escaped Azkaban after blatantly flouting the terms of his probation. (See E.2 for notes on the Malfoy Trials) We all saw what Miss. Shafiq was able to get away with as the muggleborn best friend of Our Savior, Harry Potter. What will this wicked witch do now with the proud names Shafiq and Fawley at her back?_

" _I saw them using dark magic and helping those death eaters kill all those people in the lobby!"_ _Ronald Weasley, Heart of the Golden Trio, reports directly to the Minister for Magic and Head Auror_

 _See more of Hermione Granger's Scandalous Escapades at Hogwarts B.4_

 _See how Harry Potter is dealing with this latest heartbreak C.7_

"I need a jar." Hermione hissed as she crumbled the morning edition of The Prophet in her hand, just as three house elves rushed forward with armfuls of different jars and bottles, the paper burst into flames.

"Mistress!" Poe squealed with wide eyes, pushing the other shocked elves out of the way so that she could vanish the smoldering newspaper before Hermione was hurt. She quickly lined up the many jars, all with lids, on the long breakfast table next to her Mistress's plate. Hermione would have been quite impressed with the varied selection if fury wasn't blinding her to anything beyond starting a beetle collection.

Hermione thought it was going to be such a good day before she read the front pages of The Prophet, her parents were supposed to wake up and she could officially use magic. Oh, her dreams were filled with big woolly jumpers and intense grey eyes. _Damn that Malfoy,_ she internally scolded herself for even thinking of the blond. There were far more important things to ponder than the bigot who wandered into muggle London and protected her against death eaters. Her thoughts were too jumbled when she even tried to contemplate the changes in Draco Malfoy. Teddy, that's who she should be worried about; why would the death eaters kidnap a baby and kill so many innocent witches and wizards? Her mind froze when she entered the offices of The Daily Prophet to find _Narcissa Malfoy_ standing tall and proud in front of a terrified looking Barnabas Cuffe.

Clutching her wand in her right hand and an unbreakable jar in her left she stalked right up to the pair with a scowl. "-afraid to purchase the paper, you know. With Lucius at home, it will be nice to have a hobby we can share." Narcissa was saying when Hermione reached them, a saccharine smile on her beautiful face. Her grey eyes widened just a little when she saw Hermione standing beside her but otherwise she kept her gaze focused on the middle aged editor.

"I can assure you, Mrs. Malfoy, that every single one of our reporters takes their jobs very seriously. All of our stories are checked in triplicate for any fabrications or libelous allegations." Cuffe smiled nervously, glancing between the witches anxiously. His wide eyes focused on the jar in Hermione's hand and they could see the perspiration dotting his wide forehead.

"So, you are aware of the privacy laws concerning the press and magical means of trespass?" Hermione asked innocently, her bright eyes narrowed suspiciously as she glanced around the office for the familiar blonde hair or the distinct buzzing of a beetle. "Not only would the reporter be called before the Wizengamot but the paper would be held financially responsible for any victims of privacy violation and trespass. You know they say that the families have long memories and unlike the muggle world there is no statute of limitations."

If possible, Barnabas Cuffe became even paler as he stared at the innocuous purple mason jar in Hermione's hands. He opened his mouth to respond but Narcissa's cold laugh made his throat dry. "Of course, our darling Hermione is correct. I do hope that this matter is resolved swiftly, Barnabas. I much prefer donating my time to charities rather than dallying with the press. My son has been exonerated of all crimes and the young lady beside me is a war heroine, responsible for the downfall of the darkest wizard ever to step foot in Britain."

"Oh, Narcissa, you're too kind." Hermione smiled tightly, not taking her eyes off the quivering mess of a wizard in front of her. "Harry did most of the work, but you know he considers me his sister. He really doesn't appreciate the speculation and fabricated quotes. I thought that we had all of this sorted after the election with _Minister_ Shacklebot. You remember, Kingsley was very excited when you promised to make The Daily Prophet a reputable source of news, not a tabloid. If you can't handle that, I'm sure Mr. Lovegood would be happy to print less about nargles and more about the hard hitting stories of the Wizarding Community. He knows that Harry and I are always available for comment."

Hermione was perfectly happy to leave Narcissa to review the retraction and apology while she sought out Rita Skeeter's desk. She was surprised at how normal it looked, not that she ever really thought of Rita's decorating tastes but she always assumed it would be something like Umbridge's office with more beetles than cats maybe. No one was around so she simply left the jar in the very center of the desk along with a quick note, congratulating her on her newest article. She was just about to apparate to the hospital when she found herself faced with a beaming Narcissa Malfoy.

"You remind me so much of your mother." Narcissa placed a comforting hand on her shoulder with a proud smile on her face. "How are Violet and Antonio? Draco couldn't tell me anything because the healers apparently don't consider him immediate family."

"They should be awake today…" Hermione said slowly with a furrowed brow. "However, my father was injured when the hospital was attacked but they are hopeful that the potions have healed any damage."

"That's awful." Narcissa gasped and Hermione was uncomfortable at the level of sadness that radiated off the older witch. It unnerved her when Narcissa laced their arms together and directed her towards the floos. "I hope you don't find me presumptuous but I've waited so long to have my best friend back and we have so much to talk about."

"Yes, I had some questions about the betrothal agreement because Dr-Malfoy says that there isn't an actual written contract?" Hermione wondered curiously, watching Narcissa's indifferent face intently. Instead of an answer, she was pulled through the floo to St. Mungo's with the older witch.

Her heart stuttered when they landed in the lobby of the hospital, the waiting room was put back together and there was a new welcome witch. The once beautiful archway to muggle London was gone, replaced by a plain stone wall with an auror standing guard in front of it. The saddest part was that the once bright, airy room was now completely empty; the only other visitor looked to the witches in fear before scurrying through the double doors. Narcissa didn't seem affected at all, just lifted her perfect, aristocratic nose higher in the air as she stalked towards the double doors.

"Excuse me." A timid voice called out just as they reached the doorway, Hermione turned to find the young welcome with staring at her with wide, terrified eyes. She could see a copy of The Daily Prophet sitting on the desk in front of the young witch. "You need to sign in."

"Is that really necessary?" Narcissa drawled coolly, raising a superior brow as she looked down her nose at the mousy witch.

Hermione just rolled her eyes and disentangled herself from the snobbish witch before stepping up to the circular desk. "New policy?"

"Y-yes, Miss. Gr-Sha-GR-Shafiq." She squeaked, self-consciously pushing her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose as she averted her gaze down the clipboard.

"Hermione Shafiq and Narcissa Malfoy to visit Violet and Antonio Shafiq." Hermione said softly with a reassuring smile, she couldn't blame the girl for being confused. Rita Skeeter certainly didn't help with her ridiculous article, she interchanged names whenever convenient. The welcome witch quickly scribbled their names down on her clipboard and produced two small blue visitor badges.

"Do you need their room numbers?" She asked nervously as Hermione accepted the badges.

"I think we can find it just fine, thank you." Narcissa said stiffly while she glared down at the offered token as if it personally offended her.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Narcissa who was hesitant to take the little badge in her hand. When she did accept it, it was with the tips of her fingers as if it were dirty. The curly haired witch couldn't suppress the indelicate snort that escaped her lips as she pinned hers to her emerald green robes. The older witch immediately latched onto Hermione once they passed the archway, letting the young witch lead her. There was a definite increase in aurors patrolling the halls and many of them watched the pair suspiciously. When they finally reached the closed ward, they found Junior Auror Brady still standing guard outside the Shafiqs' room.

"Oh Hermione!" The exuberant auror called out as soon as she spotted them, her blue eyes narrowed suspiciously when she saw who she was with.

"Good Morning." Hermione smiled pleasantly, looking over her rumpled burgundy robes with concern. "Have you been here all night?"

"Head Auror Stebbins didn't order me or anything but someone should be here so that there's not another attack." Brady stated quickly, staring pointedly at Narcissa.

"You should go home and rest." Hermione cut in quickly, instantly regretting that she let the older witch tag along. While it would be nice to sort out the betrothal agreement, her mother would be awake sometime that day and she figured that she could sort it then. One look at Narcissa's stony expression made her internally sigh; she turned back to Brady with a grateful smile. "Really, you went above and beyond. I don't know how I could ever thank you but you need your rest too."

Junior Auror Brady looked between Hermione and Narcissa but couldn't suppress the sleepy yawn any longer. Regretfully, she nodded with an exhausted grin. "You're right but I'll be back in a few hours for my patrols."

"About bloody time!" A very familiar, welcome voice exclaimed as soon as Hermione opened the door. Sitting up in her bed, looking incredibly disgruntled was Violet Shafiq, her face broke out into a brilliant smile when she saw her daughter. It then turned to stone when Narcissa followed her inside. "What the _fuck_ are you doing here?"


	24. Chapter 24

Hermione stood with wide eyes as her mother attempted to _Avada_ Narcissa Malfoy with just her gaze while Mrs. Malfoy actually looked like she might just cry. After a moment's hesitation she rushed to her mother and embraced her in a warm hug, feeling tears well in her eyes. She felt like she could breathe for the first time since she had seen her mother collapse in her father's arms. Something about her mother's arms cradling her and her soft, familiar coos in her ear made Hermione feel like she was as small child again. However, she wouldn't t let the tears spill over. It should be her comforting her mother, informing her of things she's missed, and getting the answers she so sorely needed. After what felt like an eternity she finally pulled away to find her mother's face red and puffy from crying.

"Have you seen a healer?" Hermione blurted out suddenly, glancing at her father whose head was still heavily bandaged but at least they did change his hospital gown. Violet glanced at Narcissa, who was standing awkwardly by the door with her hands clasped beneath her trembling chin, then back to her daughter.

"No, I don't know how to call a healer. I couldn't find my wand and I swear there was a silencing charm on the door because I just know there was someone standing out there." Violet rambled, raising her hands to wipe away her tears and smooth down her hair.

"She gave me a salve that will heal what Bellatrix did…." Hermione whispered, thinking about how excited her mother was to see her best friend. As a child, she remembered her parents never had friends; they had a partner who would send them a Christmas card and ruffle her hair while mispronouncing her name. "Narcissa also showed up yesterday morning very upset and apologized for everything…she seemed genuine."

Violet stared at her daughter critically for a moment before glancing at her childhood friend and nodding her head. "Would you find me a healer, Bug?" She whispered, running a soothing hand up and down Hermione's arm before she got up and quickly left the room.

Hermione thought it would forever remain a mystery as to how Narcissa and her mother rekindled their friendship. By the time she returned with a healer, the two witches were sitting on her mother's bed holding each other in a tearful embrace. Violet became inconsolable when Healer Gibbons explained the extent of Antonio's head injuries, apparently there was no telling when he would wake but his state was no longer because of the rituals Severus Snape performed. After two hours of siting at a conjured table going over paperwork Poe brought over Junior Auror Brady returned, looking bright and rested somehow. Narcissa filled Violet and Hermione in on all the happenings of the elite of the wizarding world since they went into hiding.

"I think we should open an orphanage." Violet stated randomly as she pushed aside estate estimates and looked to Narcissa with a smirk.

"An orphanage?" Narcissa questioned curiously, giving her friend a blank stare.

"It's a muggle concept; essentially it's for all the wards that are left with no families. Even my nephew, Sullivan, is left as a ward to the Abbott family after my brother's accident. We aren't even related but according to the records they've been collecting a monthly stipend from the Fawley vaults for him. With all the families dying out and all these children without parents, they will need a safe place to go." Violet explained, a hint of pain lacing her voice as she spoke of her nephew. Hermione looked on in surprise that she had a cousin. For some reason she just assumed her mother and father were only children since Troy and Helen were.

"Interesting…I believe I've heard Lucius complaining about the muggleborns in those places. The school had to pay for them to attend because no one else could. A few families get quite a shock when their supposed squibs show up at Hogwarts." Narcissa nodded in agreement, taking a scrap of parchment to write something down. "Should we include them as well?"

"Wait, before we get side tracked…not that I don't think that this orphanage isn't a wonderful idea…do you think we could talk about this betrothal business?" Hermione asked boldly. She had sat back and let her mother get her bearings and even stayed quiet with a polite smile while Narcissa regaled them on all the gossip of the pureblood witches in their circle.

"Oh, that's right." Violet cringed, taking her daughter's hand in her own sympathetically. Now that she had a better grasp on her sixteen years as a muggle, she could understand her daughter's anger. If she was still Helen Granger, she would be raging at such an antiquated notion but she was Violet Shafiq and she at least insured that her daughter would be happy in her match. "What do you want to know?"

"How to get out of it." Hermione stated bluntly, not looking the least bit apologetic when Narcissa stared at her as if she had been slapped.

"You don't want to get out of it." Violet said firmly, holding on tightly to her daughter's hand in the face of her anger. "Trust me, you don't. We used some of the most binding spells on the ritual, there are loopholes but you don't want to even consider them."

"Mum." Hermione breathed through clenched teeth, glaring furiously at the redhead. "I've known Malfoy since first year, I want to break the contract. He's hated me since he found out I was a Gryffindor muggleborn, just because my blood is apparently pure enough for him to associate with me now does not mean we should get married."

"My son was just a boy who idolized his father and tried to live up to the name Malfoy." Narcissa stated stonily, her mouth pinched into a harsh line while she regarded Hermione shrewdly. "It's partially my fault for never trying to teach my son how the world works. The pureblood circles are very insular, he only associated with other pureblood children before Hogwarts and he was a shining beacon amongst them. When he came to Hogwarts and saw halfbloods and muggleborns for the first time he sent me a letter asking me what magic they were using to hide their true appearance. I couldn't believe that Lucius actually filled his head with such nonsense, muggles _stealing_ magic."

"Yes, and he followed that up with six more years of being a bigoted berk who tried to put down anyone-" Hermione paused when Draco's words from the day before came back to her. Thinking back, she couldn't remember the blond ever actively harassing anyone about their blood besides herself. Sure, he would sneer and insult those who stumbled in his path but his sights were always focused on Harry and, by association, herself. She wasn't sure that made it any better.

"Mmmm, catching on." Narcissa nodded with a sly smirk on her face before taking a sip of tea so she could continue. "I know my son is opinionated and has less tact than most but you've said yourself that he deserves a second chance."

"Just because I don't think that he should be in Azkaban or kissed by a dementor doesn't mean I should have to marry him!" Hermione exclaimed impatiently, feeling as if they were purposely missing the point. "I want to have a career and fall in love, not have my spouse chosen for me. Especially since he's hated since we were sorted."

"Darling, you can love him." Violet said softly, patting her daughter's knee comfortingly. "That's the way the magic works, if the potential for love wasn't there then the spell would have failed and I wouldn't have been able to close so many loopholes."

"That's ridiculous!" Hermione scoffed, crossing her arms protectively across her chest. "A newborn has nothing but potential, how could you possibly match a baby? What if I had been a dark witch or a lesbian?"

"You are the person you are born to be." Narcissa smiled sadly, wishing that her family went to the same measures to ensure her happiness. She was stuck with an inherited contract that her sister ran away from. In the beginning she thought that she got lucky, it wasn't until the Dark Lord fell the first time that he began to resent her.

"It's true, I firmly believe you would be the person you are now, just with less doubts and more knowledge about our culture. You would have been raised knowing about traditions and I would have taught you all about the contracts our family makes. Your father would have explained the many mysteries of his family, including the composition of time sand. Sure, you wouldn't know nearly as much about the muggle world and you may have grown up feeling a bit more entitled but when all the nonsense is stripped away, you are who you're meant to be. " Violet smiled sadly as she gripped her daughter's hand and scooted closer. "If you were a…lesbian, we would have accepted it. I know, not exactly what you expect from such an old family but look at my brother, Sebastian. He and his lover were together for a decade before they left for France and we went into hiding. If you and Draco were not perfectly compatible, the spell would have failed and the betrothal would have been easily broken. Now, what did you think of Draco when you first met?"

"He's pointy." Hermione shrugged and looked away, twisting her hands in her lap as she tried to absorb her mother's rant. Including the fact that it appeared that she didn't know her parents at all, did her father have any siblings? Were her grandparents alive? Did she have more cousins? Life as an only child of only children had been lonely when she was an outcast at school.

"Liar." Narcissa smirked when she noticed the slight tint of pink to her cheeks. Hermione's head snapped up to glare at the blonde woman before turning back to her mother who had an amused smile on her face.

"He offered to let me sit in his compartment but I was helping Neville find his toad. We talked about Hogwarts: A History before he had to get back to his friends. He seemed nice and polite but once we were sorted he looked at me like I was dirt on his perfectly shiny shoes." Hermione mumbled bitterly. "Mum, please I just want to fall in love. How do I break the contract?"

"Death," Violet sat back with a sigh, looking truly heartbroken in the face of her daughter's determination. "would be the easiest and most efficient way to break the agreement. Seeing as I don't see you killing yourself just to get out of a happy, loving marriage I hope you see how binding this union is. Are you sure you want to know?"

"No one is killing my son." Narcissa hissed after Hermione nodded, she drained the remaining tea in her cup before turning to Violet expectantly.

"The second way would be tainting your blood." Violet said stiffly, looking truly pained at having to explain how to get out of a family agreement.

"Ridiculous. " Hermione scoffed with a roll of her eyes, looking at her mother as if she lost her mind. Although, twenty cc's of dirt directly to the bloodstream didn't seem like too terrible of a compromise to get out of an arranged marriage. Just silly.

"Not the way you're thinking." Violet snapped impatiently, looking weary and nauseas as she took as deep breath before explaining. "You would need to be infected by something that would forever change your magical core. The contract is bound to your magic, so if you're infected with lycanthropy, for example, it would void the agreement."

"There is wolfsbane." Hermione considered aloud, making both witches gasp and turn on her with scandalized expressions. Granted, it wasn't the most pleasant option. There was no guarantee that she would even survive the bite and she thought of Remus Lupin. Her former professor was bitten at the age of four, if he-a man who couldn't even remember not being a werewolf, struggled to accept his condition…could she?

"Really?" Narcissa asked with a raised brow, her mouth pinched so tightly it looked as though she sucked on a lemon. "The prospect of marrying my son is more terrible than infecting yourself with a condition that turns you into a monster? A monster who will try to maul your loved ones and slaughter innocent people? A daily potion for an entire week and if you miss one, you will lose yourself to the wolf and you would need to be held down by silver to restrain you. Well, if you happen to survive. That is preferable to marrying my son?"

Hermione stared at her lap, feeling more than a little guilty. Draco Malfoy wasn't that bad, she supposed she really didn't know him. All she knew was the sneering boy who made her question her place in the magical world and feel ugly as a child. The man who helped her against the death eaters and joined her for a basket of chips was a complete stranger. "No, I was just thinking out loud. I'm sorry."

Violet waited for Narcissa to nod in acceptance before she turned to her daughter. "Having another wizard's child is the last option." She stated shortly with a disgusted scowl on her face. "I was so worried that _he_ would get to you before you could accept Draco."

"I'm not ready to be a mother." Hermione whispered weakly, sitting back in her chair with her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"That avenue is closed." Narcissa couldn't suppress the satisfied little smile as she turned to her best friend with excitement shimmering in her grey eyes. "They sealed the fidelity clause."

"Why are we even talking about this, then?" Violet suddenly looked over joyed as she beamed at her daughter. "Show me your mark!"

"Mark?" Hermione tilted her head to the side in confusion, looking between her mother and Narcissa curiously. She thought of the marriage brands and internally shivered, they were usually runes inscribed into the bride's skin to ensure fidelity and obedience. Some of the traditions in Black marriages made her sick to her stomach. There was no way she would let Draco Malfoy hold her down so that he could magically bind her to his will.

"Draco wouldn't show me his, either." Narcissa sighed sadly before turning to Hermione expectantly.

"You are marked when the fidelity bonds are sealed." Violet smiled happily as she pulled down her loose hospital shirt to show off the Shafiq family crest on her chest, just above her heart. When Hermione leaned forward to examine it, she found it also had a time turner swinging from the end of the tiny letters of her family motto; _In auro plus quam lucris pono opes_ _1_. When the gold chain moved Hermione sat up straight in surprise, it looked like a muggle tattoo in white ink but even Charlie's tattoos didn't move. "The marks represent your spouse; your father was an unspeakable in the time room before we went into hiding."

"Don't keep us in suspense, dear." Narcissa nodded with an encouraging smile, Hermione didn't even realize she was holding the button on her cloak until she looked down. Slowly, she stood and released the buttons of her robes. The heavy material fell to the floor with a loud rustle in the silent hospital room.

"There's nothing there." Hermione breathed out, realizing for the first time that she had been holding her breath. She felt giddy, finding that obviously the magic wasn't as infallible as her mother believed. When she looked up, her mother had an unimpressed expression on her heart shaped face.

"You father's is on his rib cage, my mother's was on her inner thigh." Violet said slowly, watching as her daughter's smile slipped from her face. With a sigh she stood and took her Hermione's hand.

Hermione allowed her mother to pull her along to the small washroom that was connected to their hospital room in silence. It was blinding white with only a small shower stall, a toilet, and a sink with a mirror above it. There were no decorations or embellishments like she thought there would be. With a wave of Hermione's wand, she conjured a tall mirror that covered the entire door. Her reflection still made her heart clench as it reminded her that her life as Hermione Granger was stolen, just like some muggleborn's magic. Her satin emerald green summer dress with a thick black sash fit her perfectly and extenuated her curves without showing off any inappropriate skin. She closed her eyes quickly when her mother stepped up behind her to releases the silk laces of her dress. Not wanting to see any kind of brand on her skin, especially not a brand that represented Draco Malfoy. Time seemed to slow as her mother meticulously untied her dress and she found herself wondering what kind of mark could possibly represent the blond. Would it just be a family crest since he was always so proud to be a Malfoy? Maybe the constellation, Draco? A bunch of white dots would be a little underwhelming, she supposed. She felt her dress fall to the floor and the chill on her skin but she thought of what her mark would be? A book? Her mother's gasp forced her eyes open.


	25. Chapter 25

Hermione remembered when she researched the Sacred twenty eight in her fourth year. _The Pureblood Directory_ was a terribly dull read, which simply chronicled the many twisted family trees of the twenty eight families. There was a chapter that went over the constant evolution of family crests and the Malfoy crest immediately caught her attention. She wondered if her class mate was named for the emblem or if the crest changed after he was named. It was beautiful and intricate, everything one would expect from a family like Malfoy, unlike the Browns or Weasleys. Now, looking at the Malfoy family crest on the fleshy skin of her pelvis, enveloped in a dragon that periodically stretched its wings, she thinks she may be betrothed to the most self-absorbed wizard ever. Not only is there a bright white _**M**_ on her body, it is surrounded by three dragons and one of them breathes white, ghostly tendrils of fire towards the most private and sensitive area of her body. Idly, she's suddenly thankful that she didn't inherit her mother's fiery red hair.

"Oh!" Violet exclaims, her bright eyes becoming just a little misty as she studies her daughter's mark. "It's beautiful."

"I hope he gets a beaver on his forehead." Hermione grumbled irritably as she jerkily pulled her dress back on, glaring furiously at her reflection while her mother ties the lace straps with care.

"You won't have to worry about that, dear." Violet smiles knowingly with a wicked glint in her eyes and she tugs the last ribbon with more force than necessary. "Fidelity clause ensures that there will be no extramarital relations."

Hermione's face is slightly green when she meets her mother's amused gaze. "I didn't mean it like that." She grumbled as she threw open the door and stomped away from her snickering witch irritably. "He used to call me a beaver, he did yesterday too!"

"Oh, you should tell us about your day with Draco!" Narcissa smile excitedly as she patted the seat next to her. "Draco refused to say a word; I think he's upset with me."

* * *

 _My Dear Friend,_

 _You lied to me, Lucius. You told me that my Violet was dead along with the babe. It's obvious after she was seen in the company of your progeny. I thought you understood that she was made for me, how could you hide her from me? I will forgive you this once because the contents of your last letter gave me a way to finally see my precious flower. After all these years she hasn't changed at all and she's just as sweet as I thought she would be._

 _Antonin has been taught a very valuable lesson that I think you should pass on to your heir. He touched_ _her_ _, your son did me the favor of severing that hand. He bragged about how soft_ _her_ _skin was, he will never speak another word. It would be a shame for your heir to share the same fate for not understanding ownership. Just make sure he doesn't become attached._

 _Now, since you don't have magic you won't be much help to use but I'm sure we can find something for you to do while the real wizards work out a way to restore our Lord. I'm sure that once he has risen again, he will know a way to restore your magic. Unfortunately, even Cole who worked in the DOM with Bode does not know how to reverse the enchantments used on your core._

 _Ever your ally,_

 _TN_

Lucius threw the parchment into the hearth with a sneer plastered on his face. The raving lunatic was obsessed with his best friend's wife, he could recount the hours he had to listen to the man ramble about the petite witch. He didn't see the appeal, Narcissa was more his type of woman. All his mistresses somehow resembled his lovely wife, with her long legs and perfect posterior. He shivered as he thought of the bitter woman who refused to even look in his direction. At one time, his marriage was perfect; he still didn't understand how it went so wrong. Around the time Draco was born, his wife started questioning his movements. Where did she think he had gone? He was either with his Lord or a whore.

Sitting down heavily in his favorite chair beside the fire, he downed his first glass of whiskey for the day. He closed his eyes as he thought of how it used to burn, help him feel numb. Now, it was just a habit because his days were filled with nothing else. His wife left any room he entered and his son looked right through him. Lucius missed the days when Draco was small and he would sit on his father's knee while he regaled him with stories of their ancestors. His bright grey eyes would light up when his father spoke of the power the Malfoys wielded, whether magical or political. Those days were long gone now; sometimes he actually missed the war. Not the fear and helplessness but when his family would band together. His son was branded to protect his parents; his wife was used and tortured to protect her son and husband. He threw himself in front of his wife and son when he could, and in those moments they would look to him with such tenderness. They would heal his wounds and make him comfortable but the next morning it was always more of the same.

* * *

"Go away, Mother." Draco mumbled into his pillow, refusing to open his eyes. He knew it would hurt. Almost half a bottle of aged charmed bourbon that probably cost more than the Weasleys home would do that to a wizard.

"Draco, I had no idea you had a mummy's boy kink." A very familiar voice practically purred as a soft feminine body crawled into his bed and curled up behind him. "You're wearing clothes."

"Drank too much." Draco mumbled, still not opening his eyes but he did move away from the gentle hand trailing down his side. "You've been ignoring me, Pansy."

"You're getting married." Pansy snapped back with little heat. "Although, according to the pictures in The Prophet, she is fit. There's no way that little nymph was hiding inside Hermione ' _iron knickers_ ' Granger. "

"She is definitely Granger." Draco grumbled, finally opening his eyes as he sat up running a hand through his messy hair and yawning. "Wait, how did you know?"

"It all over The Prophet." Pansy shrugged, relaxing back with her hands behind her head and crossing her ankles. She hit him in the leg with her ridiculously high, shiny blue stilettos. "Why didn't you tell me that you're marrying the new Dark Lady?"

"Ah, is that what they're saying?" Draco mumbled before he sniffed his shirt and grimaced. With a sigh he got out of bed and stripped off the ruined black oxford. He stumbled to his wardrobe to grab clean clothes as well as one of his stashed hang over potions.

"Fucking buggering hell." Pansy breathed, jumping out of bed and practically tackling Draco to the ground. "Are you already married?!"

"What?" Draco snapped, pushing the brunette off him and rummaged for the potions box he skillfully hid inside quidditch case.

"You have a fucking brand on your back!" Pansy shouted just as Draco tipped the phial back, making him sputter and dribble the noxious brew down his chin. He ripped a pair of trousers down off its hanger to clean his face before turning on his friend in confusion.

"Fucking Shafiqs." Draco snarled as he got up and stormed to the full length mirror next to his bed. He wanted to preen for a moment, even after a night of heavy drinking, he thought he looked quite dashing.

"Stop being a fucking twat." Pansy grumbled as she literally stomped up to the blond and forcefully turned him around. His grey eyes widened comically when he saw the Shafiq family crest on his left shoulder blade, a happy little otter floating around it. _An otter_. When Pansy reached up and ran a finger over the slightly raised brand, Draco suddenly felt incredibly ill.

He snatched up her wrist, maybe a little harder than necessary but his stomach was still rolling around somewhere above his lungs. "Don't."

"Merlin, Draco!" Pansy exclaimed in surprise as she snatched her hand away, looking at her oldest friend as if he were insane. "What is your bloody problem? You've never taken issue with me touching you before."

"Don't know, it's a fucking fidelity mark." Draco groaned, backing away from the mirror until his legs hit his bed and he sat heavily. "I didn't even know, she just fucking kissed me to piss of Weasel…next thing you know, _fucking magic_."

"I didn't think those kinds of marks appeared until _consummation._ " Pansy smirked as she leaned against a cabinet and pulled down a stuffed dragon to toss up and down. "Is she any good? Did she finally-"

" _Pansy."_ Draco snapped irritably, covering his face with his hands as he fell back on his bed as the witch just laughed at his misery. "We only kissed and it was only to prove a point to Weasel."

"Too bad." Pansy sucked her teeth as she shrugged her shoulders and tossed the little green dragon at her pouting friend. "Aren't you going to ask how I've been? Trapped with my mother, my ridiculously bloody dramatic mother who is trying to sell me off to any rich pureblood wizard she can find? Ugh, I even heard her blathering on about Diggory. His wife was killed for smuggling mudbloods out of the country and she thinks I should cozy up to him. He's old enough to be my father and not my type."

"I'm sorry, Pansy." Draco sneered derisively as he sat up and rolled his bloodshot eyes. His words dripped with sarcasm as he stood gracefully and stalked to his wardrobe to retrieve his forgotten clean clothes. "What have you been doing besides ignoring my letters?"

"Astoria mostly, my mother has forbid me from speaking to you." Pansy huffed with a petulant little pout.

"Astoria?" Draco gaped at his friend with his freshly pressed suit slung over her arm. "Isn't she twelve?"

"Sixteen, you cunt." Pansy scowled, Draco just shrugged unrepentantly. "She tastes like those muggle cigarettes but her tits are bloody brilliant and she can work that little mouth for hours. Much better than you were at sixteen."

"I had other things to worry about and you calling me fucking Daphne didn't help, did it?" Draco snapped with pink cheeks as he snatched his robes down off the hooks. "I need to shower."

"Don't act offended, my little Drakie-Poo. It's not like it actually bothered you that the girl who was letting you experiment on critiqued you." Pansy scoffed while she pushed off the wall and swept gracefully across the room so that she could sit comfortably on his bed.

"Let's not talk about that." Draco stood stiffly by the loo door, looking at Pansy with pursed lips. "I told her that you weren't my girlfriend and she didn't believe me."

"That was the point." Pansy rolled her eyes so hard that for a moment they were little more than white orbs in her face. "If my mother thought there was even a chance I could marry Draco Malfoy, Father wasn't arranging shite with another family. Why does it matter anyway? Once you're married you can have your pure little consummation. It's not like you've actually-"

"No, actually I can't." Draco snapped harshly, pausing for a moment as he looked out the large glass doors that opened to the garden. His mother wasn't sitting amongst her flowers, enjoying breakfast so it was obviously later than he thought. "She's been with Krum, McLaggen, and Harry _fucking_ Potter. At least, that's what fucking Weasel was shouting in the bloody lobby of St. Mungo's. He ranted about there being more. _Purity matters, Draco, purity in_ _all_ _things._ Mother swore that I would have the purest of all witches and all that rot only to find out she's a fucking-"

"It's not possible." Pansy sighed irritably, getting annoyed at her friend's dramatics. "I saw her hex the bleeding fuck out Krum fourth year. So, unless he's into that kind of thing they didn't shag. The poor bloke probably still has issues sitting on a broom, all because he tried to kiss your little chastity belt. Although, I found it quite…stimulating. Even if I thought she was a mudblood, she was bloody sexy taking down that pillock. Then McLaggen, I saw her literally running away from him the night of Slughorn's Yule party, he ended up in our dorm with Tracy that night."

"Potter." He grumbled bitterly only slightly placated at his friend's words, he didn't know if he could handle knowing that his future wife was taken by Harry _fucking_ Potter first.

"I thought he was fucking bent after all the dramatics with that Chang witch but he was definitely a virgin until he started fucking the baby weasel. They kissed once, back in sixth year under some enchanted mistletoe. Literally wiped her mouth like a five year old, don't think that boosted Potter's ego much." Pansy practically crowed triumphantly when she saw that Draco looked much happier. "Not to mention, it's not like you've been perfectly innocent. Need I remind you of fifth year?"

"Don't remind me." Draco grumbled, looking slightly ill. " _The mouth is not a proper seed receptacle, Draco._ I cannot believe Snape told my parents. My mother did that whole shaking her head in disappointment thing and Father actually clapped me on the back."

"I'm sure you have much more experience than your little wife." Pansy chuckled at Draco's expression. "She will definitely appreciate your hours of practice. After all, if you can satisfy a lesbian-"

Draco threw one of the many stuffed dragons at her before huffing and stomping into the loo, slamming the door behind him. "Fuck off!" He called through the door and Pansy could hear the water running.

Pansy picked up one of the heavy books sitting beside Draco's bed and started flipping through the chapters to entertain herself. It was only a few minutes after he left her that his bedroom door opened and Lucius swept into the room, leaning heavily on his cane. "Miss. Parkinson, didn't you know that it is considered highly offensive to enter one's home and not greet your host?"

"Oh, I did, Draco's in the shower." Pansy said flippantly, not even sparing the man a glance.

"Now, Miss. Parkinson," Lucius started in his silkiest voice as he advanced on the witch in a menacing stride. "I was talking about the Lord of the manor. It is completely against protocol for you to be in the bed chambers of an engaged wizard without a chaperone. What would your mother say?"

"Something like, ' _Please, tell me that you're pregnant and the wedding will take place before your stomach takes over anymore of your body'._ Also, I've already told you, I did greet the _Lord_ of the manor, he's in the shower." Pansy drawled slowly, finally looking up at Lucius with and bored expression on her face.

"This is highly inappropriate." Lucius snapped, losing patience with the young witch completely. She was always very sweet and well-mannered when she would visit when she was younger and still held hopes of becoming Draco's wife. Perhaps, word had gotten out about Draco's arrangement and she was finally showing her true colors.

"What's inappropriate is a muggle lurking around _Malfoy Manor_ with delusions that he has any power at all." Pansy scoffed as she hopped off the bed and brushed past the stunned blond. "Do tell Draco to owl me when they've set a date for the wedding, I look forward to meeting his bride."


End file.
